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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
71 |
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TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
Requesting the Establishment of a task force to identify and recommend measures to control and eliminate breeding sites for mosquitoes, particularly with regard to water catchment systems.
WHEREAS, mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism through the transmission of diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and west nile virus, killing over one million people worldwide every year; and
WHEREAS, reports of mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, have increased significantly in Hawaii in recent years, even resulting in an emergency declaration by the Mayor of the County of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii Island has been significantly impacted by mosquito-borne diseases with over 250 confirmed cases of dengue fever in 2015; and
WHEREAS, one of the most effective ways of controlling the spread of mosquito-borne diseases is to eliminate the vector responsible for transmitting the diseases, the mosquito, which includes eliminating mosquito breeding sites; and
WHEREAS, uncovered water catchment systems, which are common in a number of rural areas throughout the State, serve as ideal mosquito breeding sites, and the establishment of methods to reduce the potential for water catchment systems to serve as mosquito breeding sites will go a long way toward controlling mosquito populations; and
WHEREAS, while preventative mosquito control measures and measures to eliminate mosquito populations have been implemented in various communities in Hawaii, the geographic nature of the State has made it difficult to effectuate these mosquito control and elimination measures; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, that the Department of Health is requested to establish and convene a Mosquito Control Task Force to identify and recommend measures to control the mosquito population and eliminate mosquito breeding sites throughout the State, particularly with regard to water catchment systems; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following individuals or their designees are requested to convene as members of the Task Force:
(1) The Director of Health, or the Director's designee, who shall serve as the Chair;
(2) The Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii or the Dean's designee;
(3) The Chair of the Board of Realtors or the Chair's designee;
(4) Representatives from each of the University of Hawaii System campuses located in Hawaii County, Kauai County, and Maui County, who shall be selected by the University of Hawaii System;
(5) The Co-Chairs of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council or their designees; and
(6) Any other member deemed necessary by the Director of Health; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no member shall be made subject to chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, solely because of that member's participation as a member of the Task Force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2017; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, President of the University of Hawaii, Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Chair of the Board of Realtors, and Co-Chairs of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Establishing a Mosquito Control Task Force to identify and recommend measures to control and eliminate mosquito breeding sites throughout the state, particularly with regard to water catchment systems.