HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

474

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to rat lungworm disease.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the department of health has reported over seventy cases of rat lungworm disease caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis from 2001 to 2014.  There have been many more cases in 2015, including at least two on Maui.  The disease has claimed lives and caused crippling chronic disability.  The cost for one severe case can exceed $1,000,000.  The Hawaii island rat lungworm disease working group has been formed at the Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and has been conducting research and educational outreach on the disease for the past four years.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the department of health, the department of land and natural resources, and the department of agriculture for programs, studies, and activities related to the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $695,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for programs, studies, and activities related to the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease, including:

     (1)  Together with the department of land and natural resources and the department of agriculture, implementing a long-term, statewide collaborative effort to monitor invasive mollusk and paratenic hosts for rat lungworm infection;

     (2)  Conducting laboratory testing to determine the effectiveness of deworming rats to reduce rat lungworm transmission;

     (3)  Conducting laboratory testing of a wide range of commercially available produce washes as well as other potential solutions;

     (4)  Conducting laboratory testing of commercially available filters and ultraviolet systems to determine effectiveness in catchment;

     (5)  Optimizing existing tests or developing new blood-based tests for rat lungworm diagnostics;

     (6)  Conducting and publishing a study on long-term recovery from rat lungworm disease and recommending medical treatments and assistances;

     (7)  Together with the department of health, developing a rural health educational outreach program for rainwater catchment users;

     (8)  Together with the department of health, providing educational outreach to kindergarten through twelfth grade school personnel involved in food procurement and preparation, and school garden projects; and

     (9)  Developing rat lungworm curriculum and an integrated pest management plan for control of invasive hosts in all Hawaii school garden projects.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii at Hilo for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for activities related to the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease, including:

     (1)  Providing educational outreach materials and best practices for control for the general public and Hawaii health care providers;

     (2)  Working with the University of Hawaii at Hilo to develop a rural health educational outreach program for rainwater catchment users;

     (3)  Together with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, providing educational outreach to kindergarten through twelfth grade school personnel involved in food procurement and preparation, and school garden projects; and

     (4)  Together with the department of agriculture and the department of land and natural resources, develop an integrated pest management plan for best practices for control of rat lungworm hosts and providing that information to the public.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for activities relating to the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease, including:

     (1)  Together with the department of agriculture and department of health, developing an integrated pest management plan for best practices for control of rat lungworm hosts and providing that information to the public; and

     (2)  Together with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, implementing a long-term, statewide collaborative effort to monitor invasive mollusk and paratenic hosts for rat lungworm infection.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for activities relating to the prevention and eradication of rat lungworm disease, including:

     (1)  Providing educational outreach to farmers' groups and farmers providing food for schools to implement integrated pest maintenance for control of carriers of rat lungworm disease; and

     (2)  Together with the department of land and natural resources and the department of health, developing an integrated pest management plan for best practices for control of rat lungworm hosts and providing that information to the public.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Rat Lungworm Disease; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the department of health, department of land and natural resources, and department of agriculture for programs, studies, and activities related to rat lungworm disease.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.