NPMA Applauds Hawaii Legislators for Proactive Bed Bug Resolution

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is supporting a resolution pending in the Hawaii Legislature requesting that the Director of Health (DOH), conduct a prevention and education campaign on the increasing incidence of bed bugs and to report findings and recommendations to the Legislature House by Regular Session 2007.

State Senator Rosalyn Baker and State Representative Marilyn Lee introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 69 and House Concurrent Resolution 36 in response to the growing bed bug population, incidents reported in the media, and the negative impact infestations have on the hospitality and tourism industries — two significant forces in Hawaii’s economy. The Senate Committee on Health will hold a public hearing on SCR 69 on Friday, March 24.

According to NPMA, bed bug infestations have been reported in 47 of the 50 United States and have increased 63 percent in the past four years. “This is an important issue nationwide and we are proud that Representative Lee and Senator Baker have taken the initiative to propose a bill to foster awareness and work towards preventing bed bug infestations,” said Gene Harrington, NPMA Director of Government Affairs. “We hope other states will follow suit and encourage an effective public-private partnership that is paramount to eliminating this growing problem.”

NPMA believes that raising awareness is a positive step towards preventing further infestations as vacation season kicks into high gear. “Bed bugs are resilient pests that travel easily from room to room within a house or from hotel to home via suitcases. They are extremely difficult to remove and require the precision and experience of a pest professional to entirely eliminate an infestation,” reports Cindy Mannes, NPMA Vice President of Public Affairs. “Travelers need to be aware of the problem and the hospitality industry needs to be aggressive in treating rooms.”

For more information on bed bugs and other pests, visit www.pestworld.org.