Bill Text: HI SCR91 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Working Group on Labeling Hawaii-Grown Tea

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-04-19 - (H) The committees on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Nishimoto, Nakashima, Aquino, Awana, Chang, Hanohano, Takai, Johanson; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 6 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Mizuno, Saiki, Takumi, Wooley, Ching. [SCR91 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SCR91-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3382

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 91

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 91 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS AND RECOMMEND LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR HAWAII-GROWN TEA,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish a working group to discuss and make recommendation regarding labeling requirements for Hawaii-grown tea.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, and two individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that the global tea market is a multi-billion dollar industry.  As the world tea market is anticipated to expand, the tea industry in Hawaii should be encouraged to develop and grow to help increase employment and revenue in the State.  In addition, it is important to ensure that Hawaii-grown tea is properly identified and protected by strict labeling requirements. 

 

     Your Committees further finds that the University of Hawaii Shidler College of Business and College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources recently issued a report entitled "Hawaii-Grown Tea:  A Market Feasibility Study", which documents the strong potential of Hawaii-grown tea and makes a recommendation that would enable Hawaii to achieve its full potential for this new crop.  As such, your Committees recognize the need to begin discussions on how to best develop and market Hawaii's tea industry.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Broadening the scope of the working group to request that the working group discuss the creation of a strategic plan for the development and marketing of Hawaii's tea industry, including any necessary legislation;

 

     (2)  Requesting that the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, rather than the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, establish the working group;

 

     (3)  Amending the title to reflect the broader scope of the working group; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 91, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 91, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development and Technology,

 

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair		____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair