Send Testimony by Sunday 3/29 at 10am to Oppose State Budget Funding for Mosquito Releases
Hawai‘i’s Executive Budget bill HB1800 will be heard by the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday 3/30 at 10am
The State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is seeking state funding through the Executive Budget to continue dangerous mosquito release experiments on Maui and Kaua‘i. The DLNR’s FY 2027 Supplemental Budget Briefing Presentation for HB1800 claims:
“Innovative management strategies are essential to prevent the imminent extinction of several of Hawaii’s endangered forest birds, which face threats from climate change-driven mosquito range expansion and the subsequent transmission of avian malaria.”
The Governor’s “Green Fee” request includes $1.6 million in general funds in fiscal year 2027 for the “Endangered Forest Bird Mosquito Abatement Project to protect the native bird populations from mosquitoes” and an additional $1.6 million “to support the protection and recovery of Hawaii’s native birds from mosquito-born avian malaria and other existential threats.”
Current “management strategies” are focused on the release of millions of experimental Wolbachia-bacteria infected mosquitoes in our islands’ conservation areas and fragile ecosystems. Please speak out to oppose funneling state budget resources into the continuation of this reckless onslaught on our environment.
Executive Budget bill HB1800 has advanced through the House and crossed over to the Senate. A hearing of the bill is schedule by the Senate Ways and Means Committee for Monday, March 30, 2026 at 10:00am in Conference Room 211 of the State Capitol at 415 South Beretania Street. The hearing will also be livestreamed, and testimony will be accepted through videoconference. The deadline to submit written testimony is Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 10:00am.
To testify, visit the legislature’s website at Capitol.Hawaii.gov. Log in to your account, or create a login account by registering with the legislature. Once logged in, click the “Submit Testimony” link under “Participate” at the top of the home screen. In the “Enter Bill or Measure” box, enter HB1800 and click “Continue.” To oppose the bill, select “Oppose” under “Position Input.” If you’d also like to testify in person or via zoom, select your preference under “How will you be testifying?” Written testimony can be submitted as an attachment, or it can be typed into the “Your testimony/comments” box. Once all info is complete, click “Submit.”
The most effective testimony will be in your own words. Please include a clear statement of the reason for your opposition, such as:
“I’m opposed to Executive Budget funding through HB1800 for programs and projects that include the release of Wolbachia-bacteria-infected mosquitoes and/or lab-altered mosquitoes of any kind on any island. These mosquito releases are dangerous and irreversible, and the invasive lab mosquitoes could have harmful impacts to the health of these islands now and for many years to come.”
Hawai‘i Unites submitted testimony opposing any state funding allocations for lab-altered mosquito releases through HB1800. All information included in our testimony is documented and can be referenced in your own testimony.
Mahalo to everyone for continuing to make our voices heard in opposition to using sacred lands as testing grounds for these experimental mosquito releases. Please send testimony by Sunday 3/29 at 10:00am to oppose funding through HB1800.
As Hawai‘i Unites reported last month, the State of Hawai’i Department of Health (HDOH) is planning to expand their multi-agency mosquito release programs in Hawai’i to all of the islands, releasing three species of lab-altered mosquitoes and escalating the narrative from bird conservation to public health. We are still waiting for a response to our letter sent to HDOH Director Dr. Kenneth Fink last month documenting our concerns and asking important questions from the community.
“If the HDOH’s plan moves forward, these three species of mosquitoes would be released on ALL OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. Invasive lab mosquitoes would be released not just in conservation areas, but directly in our neighborhoods. Aedes mosquitoes would be released in addition to Culex. The agenda would advance from an ‘avian malaria’ narrative to a public health effort focused on human disease.”
Please continue to contact Dr. Fink by phone and email to let him know that you don’t want any more of these mosquito releases in Hawai‘i.
Dr. Kenneth Fink
(808) 586-4410 ext.2
(leave a voicemail if prompted)
kenneth.fink@doh.hawaii.gov
Hold the HDOH accountable as lead agency for this reckless agenda. Ask Dr. Fink to respond to our community’s questions and concerns about these dangerous open-air lab-altered mosquito experiments.
Mahalo,
Tina Lia
Founder
Hawai‘i Unites
HawaiiUnites.org
Hawai‘i Unites is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of our environment and natural resources. Your tax-deductible donations help us to fulfill our mission of honoring and protecting our sacred connection to the natural world.
Report a Mosquito Bite
The State of Hawai‘i and its multi-agency partnership Birds, Not Mosquitoes have been releasing bacteria-infected mosquitoes in East Maui and conducting pilot study releases on Kaua‘i since 2023. As part of our ongoing research and documentation, Hawai‘i Unites has been compiling reports from throughout the islands about unusual mosquito bite reactions. If you’ve been bitten by a mosquito and would like to report the incident, please complete our Mosquito Bite Incident Report.