STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1755-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.C.R. No. 106

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 106 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON PREVENTING AN AVIAN INFLUENZA PANDEMIC BY NEUTRALIZING THE FERAL CHICKEN POPULATION OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to:

(1) Urge the Department of Health (DOH) to convene a working group of scientists, health experts, and stakeholders to conduct a scientific study on the feasibility and effectiveness of curtailing H5N1 by neutralizing the feral chicken population of Hawaii;

(2) Request the working group to discuss and present to the Legislature, among other things:

(A) The development and use of a color-coded, avian influenza activity scale of infected feral chickens, similar to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Flu Activity Map, representing the five threat condition levels and corresponding colors;

(B) An algorithm to create a computer software model that can calculate various infection scenarios occurring in the Hawaiian Islands resulting from feral chickens infected with H5N1;

(C) Potential neutralization systems, tactics, procedures, vehicles, devices, and personnel for an island-wide feral chicken neutralization program; and

(D) Alternative methods for the control of feral chickens;

and

(3) Request the working group to request assistance from and collaborate with various organizations in conducting this feasibility and effectiveness study.

DOH testified in opposition to this concurrent resolution.

DOH advised that it would be a waste of resources and ineffective attempt to neutralize feral chicken to curtail H5N1 because of the large area over which the chickens would be spread and the large number of other wild birds. Therefore, your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by removing the reference to feral chicken neutralization, and instead have DOH work with the agencies to:

(1) Coordinate planning and preventative measures to protect Hawaii from an avian flu epidemic; and

(2) Establish a response system.

Your Committee has also amended the title of this concurrent resolution to read: "URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON PREVENTING AN AVIAN INFLUENZA PANDEMIC" and added language explaining how the virus could become a widespread threat.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 106, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 106, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair