STAND. COM. REP. 112

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1110

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1110 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MICROORGANISM IMPORT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Department of Health (DOH) and Tripler Army Medical Center to transfer imported microorganisms between their laboratories without prior approval from the Department of Agriculture (DOA).

The Board of Agriculture and DOH testified in support of this measure.

Your Committees find that it may be necessary for microorganisms to be imported immediately in preparation for or response to an act of bioterrorism or other public health emergency. However, your Committees are concerned about the welfare and safety of the public should microorganisms need to be imported and transported in this manner. Your Committees have asked DOH to provide assurances that the public would be protected under these circumstances.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Public Safety and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1110 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair