Hawaii Senate Bill SCR113

Hawaii 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/11/22
• Refer: 3/16/22

Caption

Requesting The Department Of The Attorney General; Department Of Business, Economic Development, And Tourism; And Department Of Agriculture To Develop Recommendations Of A System For Protecting Hawaii's Regional Names From Deceptive Use In The Marketing Of Products Not Grown Or Made In Hawaii.

Impact

The resolution highlights the longstanding issue in Hawaii where marketing practices have allowed the deceptive use of its regional names, particularly in the agricultural sector. For example, the resolution references the controversial ten percent blend law concerning Kona coffee, which allows products with only a small percentage of genuine coffee from the region to be labeled as such. This could potentially mislead consumers and harm the reputation of authentic Hawaii products, ultimately impacting local producers and farmers who rely on trust and brand integrity for their livelihood.

Summary

SCR113, or Senate Concurrent Resolution 113, is a legislative request from the State of Hawaii aimed at protecting Hawaii's regional names from deceptive marketing practices. It requests that key state departments, including the Department of the Attorney General, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and the Department of Agriculture, collaborate to develop actionable recommendations. The focus of these recommendations is to safeguard the integrity of Hawaii’s brands and agricultural products, ensuring that consumers can trust the authenticity of items marketed as Hawaii-made.

Contention

SCR113 draws on examples from other states, such as Idaho’s legal actions against misleading use of the state's name for unproduced products and France's strict regulations on naming products based on geographic origin. These comparisons serve to emphasize the need for a similar protective framework in Hawaii. The bill advocates for legislative changes that could enhance consumer protection and assist local producers in combating the adverse effects of ambiguous marketing, thereby positioning Hawaii among areas that prioritize the protection of regional identities.