HB2015 • 2026

RELATING TO COFFEE LABELING.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: KAHALOA, KAPELA, KUSCH, LOWEN
Last action: 2026-03-24
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact impact of foreign-grown coffee sold in Hawaii.

Rules for Coffee Labels

This bill updates the rules for labeling coffee grown and processed in Hawaii to avoid confusion with foreign-grown coffee.

What This Bill Does

Clarifies how coffee labels must show where the beans were grown and processed.
Defines 'geographic origin' as specific regions within Hawaii where green coffee beans are produced.
Defines 'regional origin' as any place outside of Hawaii where green coffee beans are grown and processed.

Who It Names or Affects

Coffee producers in Hawaii
Consumers buying coffee products

Terms To Know

Geographic origin: The specific regions within Hawaii where green coffee beans are produced.
Regional origin: Any place outside of Hawaii where green coffee beans are grown and processed.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill will not take effect until July 1, 2050.
The exact impact on foreign-grown coffee sold in Hawaii is unclear.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment to HB2015 clarifies labeling requirements for coffee products grown and processed in Hawaii, distinguishing between geographic origin and regional origin.

Adds the term 'Hawaii-processed' to clarify that coffee must be both grown and processed in Hawaii to meet certain labeling standards.
Specifies that labels must include a clear distinction between coffees from different geographic origins within Hawaii and those from foreign regions, with specific formatting requirements for these statements.
Defines 'regional origin' as any coffee growing region outside of Hawaii.

The amendment text does not provide details on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment clarifies labeling requirements for coffee products grown and processed in Hawaii, distinguishing between geographic origin and regional origin.

Adds the term 'Hawaii-processed' to clarify that coffee must be both grown and processed in Hawaii.
Specifies that labels must include a clear distinction between coffees from different geographic origins within Hawaii and those from foreign regions.
Defines 'regional origin' as any area outside of Hawaii where green coffee beans are grown and processed.

The amendment text does not provide specific penalties for non-compliance with the new labeling requirements.

Bill History

2026-03-24 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN.
2026-03-24 S
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3158) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN.
2026-03-18 S
The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-13 S
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-26 3:30PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to AEN, CPN.
2026-03-10 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 176).
2026-03-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso, Quinlan, Sayama excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 979-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-24 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 02-24-26 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-17 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).
2026-02-17 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 330-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2026-02-11 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Perruso, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Lowen, Quinlan.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 02-11-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to AGR, CPC, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO COFFEE LABELING.
Consumer Protection; Coffee Labeling; Hawaii-Grown and ‑Processed Coffee; Geographic Origin; Regional Origin
Clarifies the labeling and advertising requirements for roasted coffee, instant coffee, and ready-to-drink coffee beverages based on where they were grown and processed. Defines "regional origin". Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2015

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2015

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to coffee labeling
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that, despite recent
amendments to existing laws on coffee labeling and advertising, further
amendments are necessary to avoid confusion regarding foreign-grown coffee that
is processed in the State.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to support Hawaii's coffee growers by clarifying the
existing laws on the labeling and advertising of certain coffee products and
making necessary distinctions between the definitions of "geographic
origin" and "regional origin".

����
SECTION

2
.
�
Section
486-120.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

����
1.

�
By amending its title, and subsections
(a) and (b) to read:

����
"
�486-120.6
�
Hawaii-grown and [
Hawaii-processed
]
-processed

coffee; labeling or advertising requirements.
�
(a)
�
In
addition to all other labeling requirements, the identity statement used for
labeling or advertising roasted coffee, instant coffee, or ready-to-drink
coffee beverages produced in whole or in part from Hawaii-grown and [
Hawaii-processed
]

-processed
green coffee beans shall meet the following requirements:

����
(1)
�
For roasted coffee, instant coffee, or
ready-to-drink coffee beverages that contain one hundred per cent [
Hawaii-grown
and Hawaii-processed
] coffee by weight[
,
]
that is Hawaii-grown
and -processed,
the identity statement shall consist of either:

���������
(A)
�
One hundred per cent geographic origin.

�
The geographic origin of the
Hawaii-grown and [
Hawaii-processed
]
-processed
coffee, in coffee
consisting of beans from only one geographic origin, followed by the word
"Coffee"; provided that the geographic origin may be immediately
preceded by the term "100%"; or

���������
(B)
�
Blend of geographic origins.

�
The per cent coffee by weight of one of the
Hawaii-grown and [
Hawaii-processed
]
-processed
coffees, used in
coffee consisting of beans from several geographic origins, followed by the
geographic origin of the weight-specified coffee and the terms
"Coffee" and "All Hawaiian";

����
(2)
�
For roasted coffee, instant coffee, or
ready-to-drink coffee beverages consisting of a blend of one or more
Hawaii-grown and [
Hawaii-processed
]
-processed
coffees
, not
less than the minimum per cent coffee by weight required under subsection
(d)(2),
and coffee not grown [
or
]
and
processed in Hawaii,
the per cent coffee by weight of one of the Hawaii-grown and [
Hawaii-processed
]

-processed
coffees used in the blend, followed by the geographic origin
of the weight-specified coffee and the term "Coffee Blend"; and

����
(3)
�
Each word or character in the identity
statement shall be of the same type size and shall be contiguous.
�
The smallest letter or character of the
identity statement on packages of sixteen ounces or less net weight shall be at
least one and one-half times the type size required under federal law for the
statement of net weight or three-sixteenths of an inch in height, whichever is
smaller.
�
The smallest letter or
character of the identity statement on packages of greater than sixteen ounces
net weight shall be at least one and one-half times the type size required
under federal law for the statement of net weight.
�
The identity statement shall be conspicuously
displayed without any intervening material in a position above the statement of
net weight.
�
Upper and lower case letters
may be used interchangeably in the identity statement.

����
(b)
�
A listing of the geographic origins of the
various Hawaii-grown and [
Hawaii-processed
]
-processed
coffees
and the regional origins of the various coffees not grown [
or
]
and

processed in Hawaii that are included in a blend
under subsection (a)(2)

shall be shown on the label.
�
This list
shall consist of the term "Contains:", followed by, in descending
order of per cent coffee by weight and separated by commas, the respective
geographic origin or regional origin of the various coffees in the blend.
�
Each geographic origin or regional origin
shall be preceded by the per cent coffee by weight represented by that
geographic origin or regional origin, expressed as a number followed by the per
cent sign.
�
In place of separate listings
of regional origins of coffee not grown [
or
]
and
processed in
Hawaii in the blend, the list may include the words "Foreign-grown
Coffee", preceded by the per cent coffee by weight in the blend.
�
The type size used for this list shall be no
less than half that of the identity statement.
�

This list shall appear below the identity statement on the front panel
of the label."

����
2.
�
By amending subsection (g) to read:

����
"(g)
�
As used in this section:

����
"Geographic
origin" means the geographic regions in which Hawaii-grown green coffee
beans are produced, as defined in rules adopted under chapter 147; provided
that the term "Hawaiian" may be substituted for the geographic origin
"Hawaii".

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"Per
cent coffee by weight" means the percentage calculated by dividing the
weight in pounds of roasted green coffee beans of one geographic or regional
origin used in a production run of roasted coffee, instant coffee, or
ready-to-drink coffee beverages by the total weight in pounds of the roasted
green coffee beans used in that production run of roasted coffee, instant
coffee, or ready-to-drink coffee beverages, and multiplying the quotient by one
hundred.

����
"Ready-to-drink
coffee beverage" means a prepackaged beverage that consists of or includes
coffee and is sold in a prepared form that can be immediately consumed upon
purchase.
�
"Ready-to-drink coffee beverage"
does not include made‑to‑order beverages.

����
"
Regional
origin" means any coffee growing region of the world, except those in the
State, where green coffee beans are grown and processed.
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Consumer
Protection; Coffee Labeling; Hawaii-Grown and ‑Processed Coffee;
Geographic Origin; Regional Origin

Description:

Clarifies
the labeling and advertising requirements for coffee that is grown and
processed in the State.
�
Defines
"regional origin".

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.