STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1303

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.C.R. No. 119

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 119 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM THAT USES WOLBACHIA BACTERIA TO REDUCE BOTH THE RATE OF TRANSMISSION OF MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES AND MOSQUITO POPULATION LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE STATE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and implement a mosquito control program using Wolbachia bacteria to reduce mosquito-borne diseases and mosquito population levels throughout the State.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Health, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, American Bird Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy Hawaii, and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committee finds that mosquito-borne diseases, including the Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue fever, and avian malaria, are spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and that the control of mosquito populations throughout Hawaii is, therefore, necessary to protect the health and well-being of the State's residents and animals.  Your Committee further finds that Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacteria present in a high percentage of all insects and has been used successfully around the world in suppressing populations of pest mosquitoes.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending its title to read:  "URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM THAT USES WOLBACHIA BACTERIA TO REDUCE MOSQUITO POPULATION LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.";

 

     (2)  Adding the University of Hawaii to the agencies being urged to develop and implement a mosquito control program using Wolbachia bacteria;

 

     (3)  Adding the President of the University of Hawaii System to the list of recipients of certified copies of this measure; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 119, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 119, H.D. 1.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair