House Bill 1017 would designate November 22 of each year as Kimchi Day, a legislatively recognized day in Washington.

Desiree Omley, committee staff, said the state already recognizes multiple legislative commemorative days and that the bill would add Kimchi Day. "Kimchi is a traditional Korean food that consists primarily of salted and fermented vegetables," Omley said. She noted sources that cite health benefits associated with kimchi ingredients.

Representative Ryu, the bill sponsor, described kimchi as a staple of Korean meals and offered personal recollection of making kimchi with family. "This will be the first bill to actually put it in our books," Ryu told the committee, and said the designation should require no funding beyond codification.

A committee member asked for a sample; the sponsor offered to provide one. No formal fiscal impacts or votes were recorded in the hearing transcript.

The committee closed the hearing and moved to the next item.