STAND. COM. REP. NO. 758-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2506

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2506 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RAT LUNGWORM DISEASE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help combat rat lungworm disease by appropriating funds to the University of Hawaii at Hilo:

(1) For research and other activities related to the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease, including:

(A) Conducting laboratory testing to determine the effectiveness of deworming rats to reduce rat lungworm transmission;

(B) Conducting laboratory testing of a wide range of commercially available produce washes as well as other potential solutions;

(C) Conducting laboratory testing of commercially available filters and ultraviolet systems to determine effectiveness in catchment; and

(D) Optimizing existing tests or developing new blood-based tests for rat lungworm diagnostics; and

(2) To collaborate with the Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Governor's Joint Rat Lungworm Task Force to create a statewide plan for the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Mayor of Hawaii County, Hawaii County Council Member representing District 4, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Business Strategies, and many concerned individuals supported the measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing a Statewide Rat Lungworm Disease Working Group--composed of a representative of the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, a representative of the Department of Health, a representative of the Department of Agriculture, a physician who is actively treating rat lungworm disease in a patient or patients, and a veterinarian--to be administratively attached to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor;

(2) Adding:

(A) The creation and development of best practices for vector control for rat lungworm disease and semi-slug proliferation;

(B) The creation and development of clinical guidelines and best practices for physicians and health care workers;

(C) The creation and distribution of educational multimedia material for the general public, including residents and visitors, regarding the prevention of rat lungworm disease as well as the risk factors for, diagnosis of, treatment of, and long-term consequences of rat lungworm disease;

(D) The development of clinical guidelines relating to the risk factors for, diagnosis of, treatment of, and long-term consequences of rat lungworm disease; and

(E) The conducting of a case study on individuals who contract rat lungworm disease by ingesting kava,

as activities to be undertaken in the effort to prevent, treat, and eradicate rat lungworm disease;

(3) Making the appropriation to the Statewide Rat Lungworm Disease Working Group;

(4) Removing the condition on the appropriation that the University of Hawaii at Hilo must submit a report to the Legislature listing the specific research and other activities that it plans to undertake to prevent and eradicate rat lungworm disease in Hawaii;

(5) Requiring the Statewide Rat Lungworm Disease Working Group to submit to the Legislature, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019, a comprehensive plan describing its activities, including research and education, to prevent and eradicate rat lungworm disease in Hawaii;

(6) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

(7) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests that your Committee on Finance, should it hear this measure, consider appropriating $50,000 for the work of the Statewide Rat Lungworm Disease Working Group.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2506, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2506, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair