96
THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING SUPPORT FOR FURTHER SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC
    EVALUATION BEFORE CONTINUING THE EXPANSION OF GENETIC
    ENGINEERING IN HAWAII.


 1        WHEREAS, genetic engineering is a new science without any
 2   long term evaluation of the effects on the health of human
 3   bodies, other living creatures, and the environment; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, Japan, the European Union, and a majority of
 6   other nations in the world are limiting, if not barring, the
 7   imports of genetically engineered foods into their respective
 8   countries, and questioning the safety of genetic engineering
 9   technology upon our health and environment; and
10   
11        WHEREAS, the generic drift of pollen from genetically
12   engineered planted crops has been scientifically documented to
13   extend two or more miles away from genetically engineered
14   plantings, and genetically engineered seeds are being
15   distributed in Hawaii; and
16   
17        WHEREAS, the organic farm industry, other non-genetically
18   engineered farms, and industrial and home plantings will be
19   contaminated with genetically engineered plantings; and
20   
21        WHEREAS, the bio-diversity of our small and extremely
22   sensitive islands will be changed, if not harmed forever, with
23   genetic engineering; and
24   
25        WHEREAS, the exports from Hawaii could be contaminated
26   with genetic engineering technology, thus damaging the
27   reputation of Hawaii's agricultural products, and thereby
28   limiting our economic livelihood; and
29   
30        WHEREAS, the health and purity of Hawaii's ecosystem
31   should be assured top priority before the State ventures down
32   the road of untested bio-technology, which is currently being
33   rejected by the world market; now, therefore,
34   

 
Page 2                                                     96
                                  S.C.R. NO.            
                                                        
                                                        


 1        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
 2   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
 3   Representatives concurring, that the University of Hawaii
 4   College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and its
 5   Extension Service, with assistance from the Department of
 6   Agriculture, the Department of Business, Economic Development,
 7   and Tourism, and with some consultation with an independent
 8   research team, preferably experienced with the California
 9   Certified Organic Farms Program concerning the genetic
10   engineering issue in California, is requested to develop a
11   coordinated plan to provide evaluation and cost benefit
12   analysis of the ramifications of pursuing an economic and
13   farming future with genetic engineering technology in Hawaii;
14   and
15   
16        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii
17   College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources is
18   requested to submit a report to the legislature on its progress
19   no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular
20   Session of 2001; and
21   
22        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
23   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the
24   University of Hawaii, Dean of the College of Tropical
25   Agriculture and Human Resources, Chairperson of the Board of
26   Agriculture, Director of Business, Economic Development, and
27   Tourism, Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural
28   Resources, and the individual city and county governments,
29   including the chairperson of each of the Neighborhood Boards of
30   Honolulu.
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34                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________