Microorganism import
bill raises concern

Rep. Alex Sonson says
the plan to relax some
restrictions would
undermine safeguards

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By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press

Legislators should move more cautiously on a measure that relaxes restrictions on the importation of some microorganisms to the state, a House lawmaker said Monday.

Legislature Directory Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes

The bill, proposed by the Lingle administration and given preliminary approval by the full House last week, would allow the state Health Department and Tripler Army Medical Center to import microorganisms for study without review and permit approval by the state Department of Agriculture.

It is intended to allow the agencies to study the microorganisms and prepare for acts of bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.

"We really went too fast on this," said Rep. Alex Sonson (D, Pearl City-Waipahu), vice chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

Sonson, who supported the measure with some reservations, said the bill is "so sweeping" that it undermines the purpose of having importation safeguards that already are in place.

"There's a really good reason why we have this safety net," he said. "It's to protect not only humans, but our agriculture -- our plants, fauna and all of those things."

The Health Department and Tripler still would be subject to Agriculture Department requirements regarding notification, labeling and inspection. But they would be able to transfer microorganisms between them without Department of Agriculture approval.

Sonson said he will suggest amendments to the bill that would hold the state agencies and Tripler more accountable and remove a provision easing the importation requirements for some private biotechnology firms.

The bill has been referred to the House Finance Committee. If approved there, it would require final approval by the full House before being transmitted to the Senate, which would then decide whether to take up the measure.

A companion bill in the Senate has not been heard in committee.

The House measure was supported by the Agriculture and Health departments. It also has been touted by Gov. Linda Lingle.

"This will allow our emergency response teams to prepare for bioterrorist acts and other public health emergencies in a timely manner," she said at a public safety briefing last month.

While the measure unanimously passed out of the Agriculture Committee, Sonson said he didn't realize what broad impact it could have until later.

"I didn't notice it because I thought, 'That's a good idea -- we better be prepared,"' he said. "But when I thought of it again, it just didn't seem right.

"I think we're just overreacting at this point."