STAND. COM. REP. NO. 757-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 474

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 474 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RAT LUNGWORM DISEASE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help combat rat lungworm disease by appropriating funds to the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Department of Agriculture for testing, studies, programs, plans, outreach, and other activities related to the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo; Mayor of Hawaii County; Council Members representing Districts 3 and 4 on the Hawaii County Council; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Hilo-Hamakua Community Development Corporation; Silver Oaks Ranch; We Are One, Inc.; Hawai‘i Farm to School and School Garden Hui; and numerous concerned individuals supported the measure. The Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the intent of the measure. The Hawai‘i Farm Bureau supported the measure with amendments. The Department of Health and a concerned individual submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Retaining only the appropriation to the University of Hawaii at Hilo and deleting the respective appropriations to the Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Department of Agriculture;

(2) Making the appropriation to the University of Hawaii at Hilo in an unspecified amount;

(3) Making the appropriation contingent on a 1:1 match between the State and anticipated sources of funding, including private sources and federal research grants, and adding certain appropriation provisos;

(4) Removing certain outreach, integrated pest management, and monitoring activities related to rat lungworm disease;

(5) Adding:

(A) The research and review of worldwide literature regarding rat lungworm disease case studies for comparison and contrast with cases of rat lungworm disease in Hawaii;

(B) The development of clinical guidelines regarding the risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term consequences of rat lungworm disease; and

(C) The conducting of a case study on individuals who contracted rat lungworm disease by ingesting kava,

as activities to be performed;

(6) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

(7) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests that your Committee on Finance, should it hear this measure, consider appropriating $500,000 as the State's portion of the 1:1 matching requirement.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 474, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 474, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair