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COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />ORDINANCE NO. <br />STATE OF HAWAI `I <br />BILL NO <br />109 <br />AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14, GENERAL WELFARE, HAWAII <br />COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY ADDING A NEW <br />ARTICLE RELATING TO THE RESTRICTION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED <br />ORGANISMS. <br />BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`L• <br />SECTION 1. Chapter 14 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), is <br />amended by adding a new article to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: <br />"Article . Genetically Modified or Engineered Organisms Prohibited. <br />Section 14-_. Purpose. <br />The purpose of this article is to: <br />(1) Protect human, animal, and plant life, and the land, water, and air on or under, in or over <br />the Island of Hawaii, including the ocean with its marine life that surrounds the Island of <br />Hawaii, from the adverse effects of biotechnical modification of any organism's genome; <br />(2) Maintain the Island of Hawaii as a heritage seed bank and gene bank to preserve the <br />biodiversity of plants, animals, and other organisms in case reserves of such organisms are <br />destroyed elsewhere; and <br />(3) Safeguard honeybees, which pollinate at least thirty percent of our food crops, from <br />pesticides placed in some organisms through the use of genetic modification thereby <br />threatening that portion of our food supply pollinated by honeybees. <br />Section 14- . Definitions. <br />As used in this article, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: <br />"Cultivate" means to propagate, raise, plant, or grow flora or fauna, whether for ornamental or <br />consumption purposes. <br />"Department" means the department of environmental management. <br />"Develop" means to test, modify, or genetically manipulate the genomes of an organism. <br />"Director" means the director of the department of environmental management, or the director's <br />authorized representative(s). <br />"Genetic engineering" means the biotechnology used to introduce, remove, or modify specific <br />parts of an organism's genome. Genetic engineering is also known as genetic modification. <br />"Genetically modified organism" means any microorganism, plant, or animal whose genetic <br />material (genome) has been altered, modified, or changed using the bio -techniques of genetic <br />engineering so that the organism can produce more product, different chemicals, or perform <br />completely new functions. A genetically modified organism is also known as a transgenic organism <br />or a transgenetic organism. <br />