STAND. COM. REP. NO. 187

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1427

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1427 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AVIAN INFLUENZA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health and Department of Agriculture to prevent, monitor, and respond to avian influenza in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Agriculture; State Health Planning and Development Agency; Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that H5 avian influenza viruses, also referred to bird flu, can cause severe illness with a high mortality rate among certain bird populations, such as poultry. The virus can also pass to other species, including dairy cows and humans. Your Committee further finds that bird flu was detected in a domestic flock of birds on Oahu in November 2024 and has since been detected in wastewater testing in Hilo and on Kauai. As of January 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported sixty-seven confirmed human cases of bird flu, with one case resulting in the patient's death. Although the risk of human-to-human infection is currently low, your Committee believes that close monitoring of the situation to identify any changes in the virus that may increase transmissibility or infection severity is warranted to protect Hawaii's residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation of between $3,300,000 and $4,700,000, depending on the availability of federal funds, for the Department of Health and an appropriation of $293,000 for the Department of Agriculture.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1427, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1427, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair