STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2937

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3097

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3097, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to the University of Hawaii at Hilo to conduct research related to the control and prevention of rat lungworm disease.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy; the Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii; and five private individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity Plan identifies rat lungworm disease as a serious threat to human health and agriculture in Hawaii. Your Committee further finds that although the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy has been conducting valuable research related to rat lungworm disease over the past six years, providing an extensive amount of information regarding the disease, further research is necessary to adequately protect Hawaii's residents, visitors, and agriculture.

Your Committee notes that the University of Hawaii's estimated cost for the research related to the control and prevention of rat lungworm disease is $500,000.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3097, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3097, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair