THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            48
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  RELATING TO DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY IN HAWAII. 


 1        WHEREAS, Hawaii's economic base can be diversified and
 2   strengthened through the development of its high technology
 3   industry which generates high paying jobs and high value
 4   products; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, Hawaii must establish a niche where it can
 7   maintain an advantage in the competitive high technology
 8   industry; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, favorable climate and ocean conditions make
11   Hawaii one of the world's premier sites for marine and
12   agricultural biotechnology research and product development;
13   and
14   
15        WHEREAS, Hawaii's strategic location and culture can
16   facilitate the global marketing of biotechnology expertise and
17   products; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical
20   Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) is internationally
21   recognized for its agricultural biotechnology research
22   including floriculture, plant tissue culture, and genetically
23   engineered caffeine-free coffee and disease resistant tropical
24   fruits; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii's School of Ocean and
27   Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) is internationally
28   recognized for its eminence in ocean sciences and is a
29   candidate for designation by the National Science Foundation as
30   a Marine Bioproducts Engineering Center; and
31   
32        WHEREAS, Hawaii biotechnology companies have emerged
33   including Neugenesis, Integrated Coffee Technologies
34   Incorporated, Aquasearch, Cyanotech, and Mauna Kea
35   Nutraceuticals, and major multi-national corporations including
36   Monsanto, Cargill, Novartis, and Dekalb Genetics Corporation
37   conduct plant genetics research in Hawaii; and

 
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 1        WHEREAS, the international accounting firm of Ernst and
 2   Young has estimated the current world market for biotechnology
 3   at $170 billion; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, CTAHR, the Department of Business, Economic
 6   Development, and Tourism (DBED&T), and the Department of
 7   Agriculture (DOA) have sponsored a highly successful
 8   agriculture and marine biotechnology conference featuring
 9   international, national, and local specialists in biotechnology
10   research and industry development; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, a coordinated and concerted effort involving
13   government agencies, academia, and the private sector is
14   necessary for the State to succeed in establishing a
15   significant biotechnology industry; now, therefore,
16   
17        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
18   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
19   Representatives concurring, that DBED&T work closely with the
20   University of Hawaii, CTAHR, SOEST, DOA, and appropriate
21   private sector firms to develop strategies and coordinate
22   initiatives to facilitate the growth of Hawaii's biotechnology
23   industry; and
24   
25        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii
26   coordinate its programs involved with biotechnology research
27   and development to enhance recognition of the programs and to
28   facilitate industry development efforts; and
29   
30        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
31   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of DBED&T,
32   the Chairperson of DOA, the President of the University of
33   Hawaii, the Dean of CTAHR, and the Dean of SOEST.
34 
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36                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________