HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP GOEAC 014 2025-01-21 2024-2026REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
DATE: January 21, 2025
PLACE: Council Chambers
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
TIME: 9:02 a.m.
Council Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Re: Comm. No. 90/Res. No. 61-25
Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred
Resolution No. 61-25, reports as follows:
Resolution No. 61-25, introduced by Council Member Heather Kimball via Communication
No. 90, dated January 2, 2025, urges the State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture and
Department of Health to consult with local poultry farmers to develop an Avian Flu response
plan and to consider alternatives to depopulation as a response strategy.
Resolution No. 61-25 expresses that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza response plan would
include preventative measures, testing and monitoring protocols, and strategies for public
outreach, while promoting quarantine and vaccination as opposed to mass culling.
Committee Member Heather Kimball began by sharing that this resolution was a constituent
request and thanked community members for helping. The Bird Flu is highly contagious among
the bird population and also has the potential for carrying over to humans. This resolution
provides an opportunity to share information with Council Members and constituents. Most
importantly, Member Kimball wanted to share that while some solutions may be appropriate
elsewhere, they may not be right for Hawaii. Therefore, this resolution urges the Department of
Health and the Department of Agriculture to have a Hawaii -based plan for action locally.
Committee Member Michelle Galimba agreed that we need to have a plan regarding this
concerning issue and that it's important to follow the science as much as possible.
Committee Member Rebecca Villegas wanted to recognize both the potential impact of the
Avian Flu as well as the shortage of eggs many are experiencing and the importance of backyard
chicken farmers. This helps support our resiliency and sustainability and supports the use of
medicine and technology to reduce the spread of the flu while protecting the lives of chickens.
Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada wanted to highlight the importance of weighing the risks, while
also not getting into a panic and moving forward with measures not proven by science to work.
GOEAC Report No. 14
GOEAC-14 Page 2 January 21, 2025
Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs is in accord with the purpose
and intent of Resolution No. 61-25, and recommends its adoption.
slm
AYES
NOES
ABS
EX
GALIMBA
X
HUSTACE
X
INABA
X
KAGIWADA
X
KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER
X
KIERKIEWICZ
X
KIMBALL
X
ONISHI
X
VILLEGAS
X
Respectfully submitted,
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL
EXTEP11AL
01,
GOEAC REPORT NO.: 14
ADOPTED: