By TOM CALLIS
Tribune-Herald staff writer
County Council Chair J Yoshimoto is dropping his proposed amendments to Bill 113 after receiving negative feedback from the public.
The amendments would have exempted the horticulture industry from the bill’s ban on open-air use of transgenic crops, removed a registry for modified plants, and allowed the planning commissions to hear proposals for emergency exemptions.
He filed the changes Nov. 5 but they had yet to be discussed.
Yoshimoto said late Monday he filed them to address criticism of the bill from the horticulture industry, papaya growers and other testifiers.
Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, who introduced the bill, had said the amendments would weaken the legislation.
Yoshimoto said he heard similar concerns as well as questions over whether it was too late to hear such substantial changes.
He said he wanted to wait until after public testimony finished before bringing the proposed changes to the council.
“I wanted to hear as much testimony as I could before making amendments,” Yoshimoto said.
Public testimony is expected to finish Tuesday.
Wille said she was glad to hear the amendments would be dropped, adding that any concerns with the legislation can be addressed in a GMO ad hoc committee that may be formed if the bill is adopted.
The committee would be tasked with studying the issue and proposing changes to the legislation, she said.
“We need to understand that this is the starting point, the status quo,” Wille said.
“I’m trying to get both sides invested into this longer conversation,” she added.
Yoshimoto said he would have preferred for the committee to be formed first, but remains supportive of the proposal.
While testimony still needs to be finished, Yoshimoto and Wille both said they expect a vote to be reached at the Tuesday meeting.
The council has been considering GMO legislation since May.
If approved, it would be sent to Mayor Billy Kenoi for consideration.
Kenoi can either sign the bill, veto it, or let it go into effect without his signature.
He told the Tribune-Herald last week that it’s too early for him to comment on the bill since it has yet to be sent to him.
“We just look forward to see what emerges from the County Council,” Kenoi said. “There’s a lot of questions as to what will be in or won’t be in.
“We wish the County Council luck.”
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
