Hawaii County Council committee to vote on GMO bans

(http://bigislandnow.com) A County Council committee will take up two new bills today, Wednesday, involving the growing of genetically modified crops on Hawaii's Big Island.

One of the bills to be heard by the Committee on Public Safety & Mass Transit, Bill 109, would ban the growing of transgenic papayas, including the Rainbow and SunUp varieties developed in response to the ringspot virus. If passed, this bill would give GM papaya growers 30 days to cease operations before facing several penalties, including a fine of up to $1,000 per day.

The committee, which meets in the Hilo council chambers at 1:30 PM, will also consider Bill 113, which would allow the cultivation of GM papayas but ban all other GMOs.