Support Local Food Sales HB 520
House Bill 520 (HB 520), the Hawaii Access to Local Food Act, will have a hearing Wednesday, February 15 at 2pm before the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce (CPC). Deadline to submit written testimony is today by 2pm.
HB 520 represents a great opportunity to expand the market for locally produced food in Hawaii. Please submit testimony to the committees and/or contact committee members in support of this important legislation.
Hawaii’s current cottage food law only allows direct in-person sales of some non-potentially hazardous foods (i.e., foods not requiring time or temperature control for safety) such as baked goods, jams and jellies. HB 520 would allow the sale of all non-potentially hazardous and potentially hazardous foods (i.e., foods requiring time and temperature control for safety) made in private home kitchens including some meat and poultry products if those foods are in compliance with federal law. Cottage food operations producing non-potentially hazardous foods can sell their products on the internet, through an agent or a third-party vendor such as a retail store, and through the mail. Cottage food operations producing potentially hazardous foods can sell their products on the internet but all deliveries must be direct from a cottage food operator to the consumer.
All cottage food operations must obtain a permit from the Hawaii Department of Health and then submit proof of a valid food handlers education certificate for each cottage food operator working for the cottage food business. For cottage food operations selling certain products using preservation methods, there are additional requirements.
ACTION TO TAKE
1. Submit testimony supporting HB 520 to the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce (CPC). The deadline for submitting written testimony is 2pm today (2/14/2023)–24 hours before the hearing.
After you have created an account at https://capitol.hawaii.gov/, you can sign-in and go to the bill page for HB 520 to tap the “Submit Testimony” link and then follow the instructions. You can submit testimony on HB 520 only ONCE for the Feb. 15th hearing.
HB 520 bill page –
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=520&year=2023
2. Contact committee members asking them to vote for HB 520. Calls are the most effective way to get your message across. It’s especially important to do so if you are a constituent of a member of either committee. A list of members for each committee is included at the end of this email.
You may copy/paste this entire to block to email members of both committees:
You may copy/paste the entire block to email the whole committee:
repnakashima@capitol.hawaii.gov; repsayama@capitol.hawaii.gov; repamato@capitol.hawaii.gov; repbelatti@capitol.hawaii.gov; repgates@capitol.hawaii.gov; rephashem@capitol.hawaii.gov; rephusseyburdick@capitol.hawaii.gov; replowen@capitol.hawaii.gov; reponishi@capitol.hawaii.gov; reppierick@capitol.hawaii.gov; reptam@capitol.hawaii.gov
TALKING POINTS
1. All 50 states have cottage food laws. The food safety track record for cottage food producers is excellent including for producers in the states whose laws allow the unregulated sale of potentially hazardous foods from producer direct to consumer. The cases of foodborne illness outbreaks being attributed to cottage food producers is almost nonexistent. Some of the healthiest foods available are produced under cottage food laws.
2. Passage of HB 520 will improve food security in the state; with the increased unreliability of supply chains, it is more important that Hawaii become as self-sufficient in food production as possible.
3. HB 520 will create more jobs, enable local food producers to make a better living, and keep more of the food dollar within the state.
4. HB 520 will expand consumer choice in both the types of foods available for sale and the producers selling them; there are rural areas in the state where would-be producers do not have easy access to commercial or certified kitchens.
WAPF will send out further alerts on HB 520 as events warrant.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce (CPC)- https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/legislature/committeepage.aspx?comm=CPC&year=2023
Rep. Mark Nakashima (D) – Chair [bill sponsor]
House District 1
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 432
Phone: 808-586-6680
Fax: 808-586-6684
repnakashima@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Jackson D. Sayama (D) – Vice Chair
House District 21
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 328
Phone: 808-586-6900
Fax: 808-586-6910
repsayama@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep.Terez Amato (D)
House District 11
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 317
phone: 808-586-8525
fax: 808-586-8529
repamato@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Della Au Belatti (D)
House District 26
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 420
phone: 808-586-9425
fax: 808-586-9431
repbelatti@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Cedric Asuega (D)
House District 45
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 441
phone: 808-586-8460
fax: 808-586-8464
repgates@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Mark J. Hashem (D)
House District 19
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 205
phone: 808-586-6510
fax: 808-586-6511
rephashem@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Natalia Hussey-Burdick (D)
House District 50
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 327
phone: 808-586-6480
fax: 808-586-6481
rephusseyburdick@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Nicole Lowen (D) [bill sponsor]
House District 7
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 436
phone: 808-586-8400
fax: 808-586-8404
replowen@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Richard H.K. Onishi (D)
House District 2
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 438
phone: 808-586-6120
fax: 808-586-6121
reponishi@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Elijah Pierick (R)
House District 39
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 318
phone: 808-586-8490
fax: 808-586-8494
reppierick@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Adrian K. Tam (D)
House District 24
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 406
phone: 808-586-8520
fax: 808-586-8524
reptam@capitol.hawaii.gov
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