Bill > SB2103

This bill expands the criminal offense of false labeling of Hawaii-grown coffee to include roasted coffee, imposes a mandatory $10,000 fine for each separate offense, and establishes a new 1.0 FTE enforcement position within the Department of Agriculture to ensure compliance with coffee labeling laws. The goal is to deter the fraudulent practice of falsely labeling non-Hawaii-grown coffee as originating from Hawaii, which undermines the state's coffee industry and brand reputation. The bill also acknowledges that the appropriations will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling to be exceeded, but declares that the appropriation is necessary to serve the public interest and meet the needs addressed by the bill.