Appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to develop guidelines and a marketing plan to obtain export clearances for exports to Japan and other countries. (HB792 HD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the papaya is the second most important fruit crop in Hawaii. In 1992, ninety-five per cent of Hawaii's papaya crop was damaged from the papaya ringspot virus, which sent the papaya industry into a crisis. As a result of this problem, a genetically engineered papaya, known as the rainbow papaya, was developed to resist the aggressive ringspot virus.

Today, the rainbow papaya is an important part of Hawaii's papaya industry and makes up the majority of the papayas exported to the mainland and Canada. The industry wants to begin exporting the engineered papayas to Japan, which accounts for approximately forty per cent of Hawaii's exports. However, without proper clearances, including genomic sequencing, the rainbow papaya cannot be exported to Japan.

The legislature finds that efforts to gather information, develop guidelines, and develop a marketing plan to obtain export clearances would be beneficial in supporting the export of goods such as the rainbow papaya to other countries.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to develop guidelines and a marketing plan to obtain export clearances for exports to Japan and other countries.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 to develop guidelines and a marketing plan to obtain export clearances for exports to Japan and other countries.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.