Bill Text: HI HB534 | 2025 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Labeling Requirements.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-1)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-06 - The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. [HB534 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2025-HB534-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
534 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO LABELING REQUIREMENTS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
According to statistics from the United States Department of Commerce, the annual dockside value of commercial yellowfin and bigeye tuna (marked as ahi) landed in Hawaii's ports is around $100,000,000, making tuna the highest valued food commodity produced in the State. Even with these impressive landings, previously frozen and carbon monoxide-treated foreign imported tuna dominates sales at local retail establishments. Due to a loophole in federal country of origin labeling requirements for seafood, retail establishments are not providing consumers with information on where the ahi tuna originates. The legislature is therefore concerned that most consumers that buy ahi at local retail establishments falsely believe that previously frozen, gas-treated ahi is caught by Hawaii fisheries.
Moreover, the legislature further notes
that the majority of ahi sold at local retail establishments is in the form of
poke and sushi products. Consumers of
poke are commonly subjected to misleading advertisements and in-store
terminology, such as "prepared fresh", "freshly made", and
"locally made", while the ahi used to prepare the poke is foreign-sourced,
previously frozen, gas-treated, and imported in pre-cut cubes.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to prohibit the sale of processed ahi at Hawaii retail establishments without a label stating the country in which the ahi was landed.
SECTION 2. Chapter 486, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part V to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§486- Processed ahi; labeling requirements;
retail establishments. (a) No
retail establishment shall keep, offer, display, expose for sale,
or solicit for the sale of any processed ahi without a label stating the
country in which the ahi was landed.
(b) As used in this section:
"Ahi"
means yellowfin tuna or bigeye tuna, including farm-raised fish and ahi that
meets the definition of "wild fish and shellfish" as defined in title
7 Code of Federal Regulations section 60.133, as amended.
"Farm-raised
fish" has the same meaning as defined in title 7 Code of Federal
Regulations section 60.106, as amended.
"Processed
ahi" means a retail item derived from ahi that has undergone specific
processing resulting in a change in the character of the ahi, or that has been
combined with at least one other substantive food component (e.g., breading,
tomato sauce), except that the addition of a component, such as water, salt, or
sugar, that enhances or represents a further step in the preparation of the
product for consumption, would not in itself result in a processed food item.
"Retail
establishment" means an establishment licensed under the Perishable
Agricultural Commodities Act of 1930, which includes any retail establishment
that purchases over $230,000 of fresh or frozen produce per calendar year."
SECTION 3.
New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.
Report Title:
Measurement Standards; Uniform Packaging and Labeling; Food Labeling; Country of Origin; Tuna; Processed Ahi
Description:
Prohibits the sale of processed ahi in retail establishments without a label that states the country where the ahi was landed. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
