Hawaii County council unanimous against HB1226

Resolution 81-09 passes unanimously at Wednesday April 22nd hearing

The following is from Una and Nancy on Hawai’i Island:

Aloha friends,

Today (Wednesday April 22 2009), after many hours of testimony on quite a few issues,  the Hawaii County resolution 81-09, which was introduced by our wonderful Councilman, Pete Hoffmann, passed 9-0.  This resolution was a response to the Hawaii House of Representatives HB1226, which would have pre-empted counties AND the state of Hawaii from making any new laws in opposition to, or in regulation of GMO crops. It also banned labeling of GMO crops.  So today was a bold statement by the council telling the State Legislature NO, do not pass this anti-democratic Bill (HB1226). This resolution came after the Maui county council passed a very similar resolution in March. So two of the four counties of Hawaii have made this strong statement.  Let’s hope that Kaua’i is next!

FYI HB1226 is asleep until the second year of its legislative life (2010) It passed the House this 2009 session, but it did not get a hearing in the Senate.  Hopefully the Senate will be able to keep this bill from being heard next session. At least now the counties are making their voices heard.

Mahalo for all your support.

Una Greenaway
Nancy Redfeather
Hawai’i Island

For more info and to take action on this issue, see the HB 1226 – GMO preemption bill in our Take Action! section.