THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            205
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION TO CONVENE A
    WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION REQUIRING
    PLATINUM STAMPING.


 1        WHEREAS, S.B. No. 2508, a measure introduced this session,
 2   would have incorporated into the Gold and Silver Stamping Act,
 3   Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines regarding the
 4   stamping of platinum goods; and 
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, proponents of the measure testified that the law
 7   is necessary because consumers and jewelers are being offered
 8   or sold platinum jewelry in Hawaii that is improperly stamped,
 9   lacks quality stamping, or otherwise does not comply with FTC
10   guidelines; and 
11   
12        WHEREAS, the measure was opposed by the Office of Consumer
13   Protection, Honolulu Police Department, Retail Merchants of
14   Hawaii, and Hawaii Jewelers Association; and
15   
16        WHEREAS, the Office of Consumer Protection testified that
17   it had not received complaints relating to platinum jewelry and
18   that the agency currently has authority to enforce FTC
19   guidelines regarding platinum goods notwithstanding the absence
20   of state law; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, other concerns were raised about the measure that
23   related to the financial and physical hardships imposed by the
24   stamping requirement, and the lengthy and expensive trademark
25   registration process; and
26   
27        WHEREAS, further study of the issue is warranted in order
28   to determine the scope of the problem related to mismarked or
29   unmarked platinum jewelry, the need for legislation
30   establishing requirements for platinum jewelry, existing
31   consumer remedies or protections, the impact of S.B. No. 2508
32   on the jewelry and retail industries, and other related issues;
33   now, therefore,
34   
35        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
36   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
37   Representatives concurring, that the Office of Consumer

 
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                                  S.C.R. NO.            205
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   Protection is requested to convene a working group to study the
 2   need for legislation regarding platinum stamping; and
 3   
 4        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group shall
 5   include representatives from the Office of Consumer Protection,
 6   the Hawaii Jewelers Association, the Retail Merchants of
 7   Hawaii, the Honolulu Police Department, the Department of the
 8   Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, and
 9   the jewelers industry; and
10   
11        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group shall submit
12   its findings and recommendations, including proposed
13   legislation, if any, to the Legislature no later than twenty
14   days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2001; and
15   
16        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT certified copies of this
17   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Office of Consumer
18   Protection, Hawaii Jewelers Association, Retail Merchants of
19   Hawaii, and the Honolulu Police Department, and the Prosecuting
20   Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu.
21 
22 
23 
24                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________