THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3097
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

 

 

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 were many more cases in 2017, including at least eleven on Hawaii island, six on Maui, and one on Oahu.  The disease has claimed lives and caused crippling chronic disability.  The cost of treatment 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 for research related to the control and prevention of rat lungworm disease.

     SECTION 2.  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 2018-2019 for research related to the control and prevention of rat lungworm disease, including:

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

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

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

     (4)  Optimizing existing tests or developing new blood-based tests for rat lungworm diagnostics.

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

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.

 

 

 

Report Title:

Rat Lungworm Disease; University of Hawaii at Hilo; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii at Hilo for research related to rat lungworm disease.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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