REPORT TITLE:
Environment


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates unspecified sum to Department of Health to test the
soil in Village Park and West Loch Fairways to determine if
physical and learning disabilities of children are caused by the
soil. (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        1663
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that, as the population of
 
 2 the State grows, housing developments and residential areas are
 
 3 being constructed on former agricultural lands or on locations
 
 4 formerly used by the military.  This situation is certain to
 
 5 increase as agriculture declines and additional lands become
 
 6 available for residential development.  Environmental health
 
 7 hazards in the soil as residue from pesticides can remain
 
 8 undetected until significant clusters of disease or illness are
 
 9 identified.  Secret underground military facilities, such as
 
10 tunnels or bunkers, in which were stored arms or chemicals, are
 
11 also capable of causing environmental health hazards.
 
12      The legislature finds that significant clusters of illness
 
13 or disease are not readily identifiable until some commonality
 
14 occurs, such as proximate neighbors comparing notes or children
 
15 of the same age level entering a single neighborhood school being
 
16 enrolled in special education classes.
 
17      The legislature further finds that when a significant
 
18 cluster or increase of illness or disease occurs in a school and
 
19 is identified by the faculty, it should be the responsibility of
 

 
Page 2                                                     1663
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                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        


 1 the principal and faculty to report their suspicions to the
 
 2 department of health.  The department of health, working in
 
 3 cooperation with the department of education, should be
 
 4 responsible for the related health services.
 
 5      Of particular concern to the legislature is the Village Park
 
 6 and West Loch Fairways communities.  Village Park is a
 
 7 subdivision of approximately 2,000 families, and West Loch
 
 8 Fairways is a subdivision of approximately 720 families, who
 
 9 share a common health phenomenon.  Many of the Village Park and
 
10 West Loch Fairway families and children have varying degrees of
 
11 disabilities and illnesses that are more than coincidence.  One
 
12 out of ten children has some physical or learning disability, or
 
13 both, that requires special needs education.  Physical
 
14 disabilities include Downs Syndrome, trisomy 8 and trisomy 18,
 
15 spina bifida, heart abnormalities, leukemia, and respiratory
 
16 ailments.  Learning disabilities include mental retardation,
 
17 hearing, emotional, visual, speech and language, attention
 
18 deficit disorder, hyperactivity, oppositional defiant disorder,
 
19 multiple handicaps, and autism.
 
20      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the
 
21 department of health to conduct soil testing for Village Park and
 
22 West Loch Fairways.
 
23      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the environmental
 

 
Page 3                                                     1663
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        


 1 response revolving fund under section 128D-2, Hawaii Revised
 
 2 Statutes, the sum of $1, or so much thereof as may be necessary,
 
 3 for fiscal year 1999-2000, for the department of health to
 
 4 conduct soil testing at Village Park and West Loch Fairways to
 
 5 determine if the soil is a cause of the illnesses, and the
 
 6 physical and learning disabilities of children and families
 
 7 living in Village Park and West Loch Fairways.  The testing shall
 
 8 be completed by December 15, 1999.
 
 9      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
10 department of health.
 
11      SECTION 4.  The department of health, with the assistance of
 
12 the department of agriculture, Citizens for a Safe Environment,
 
13 and Life of the Land, shall report its findings and
 
14 recommendations to the legislature no later than twenty days
 
15 prior to the convening of the regular session of 2000.
 
16      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval;
 
17 provided that section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 1999.