Report Title:

Genetic Engineering

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

202

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

CALLING FOR THE REPORTING OF ALL ONGOING AND PLANNED WORK WITH GENETIC ENGINEERING IN THE STATE OF HAWAII.

 

 

WHEREAS, genetic engineering is a new science without any long term evaluation of the effects on the health of human bodies, other living creatures, and the environment; and

WHEREAS, Japan, the European Union, and the majority of seven other nations in the world are limiting, if not barring, the imports of genetically engineered foods into their respective countries and questioning the safety of genetic engineering technology upon our health and environment; and

WHEREAS, the drift of pollen from genetically engineered crops has been scientifically documented to extend two or more miles away from such plantings, and, therefore, poses potential risks to the organic farm industry and other farms not using genetically engineered crops, including industrial and home plantings; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the potential effects on Hawaii's agriculture industry, genetic engineering could also have unforeseen effects on Hawaii's precious native ecosystems and the biodiversity of our sensitive island environment; and

WHEREAS, the health and purity of our islands' ecosystems should be assured top priority before the State ventures down the road of untested biotechnology which is currently being rejected by the world market; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism are requested to report all work, ongoing or planned, with genetic engineering or associated technology, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2002 Regular Session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, the President of the University of Hawaii, the Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Director of Health, and the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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