STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1979

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 297

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 297, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOSQUITO VECTOR CONTROL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to protect Hawaii residents from mosquito-borne illnesses such as Zika and Dengue viruses.

Specifically, this measure requires the:

(1) Department of Agriculture to review the Aedes aegypti mosquito with Wolbachia bacteria, including Aedes aegypti mosquitoes originating from Hawaii stock that could be imported for landscape-scale mosquito control, and render a determination to place it on the appropriate animal import list; and

(2) Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Land and Natural Resources to collaborate on a report to the Legislature with recommendations for appropriate vector control programs.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that studies have concluded that the release of Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and subsequent interbreeding with wild mosquitoes can reduce the ability of cumulative mosquito populations to serve as disease vectors.

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 H.B. No. 297, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair