The state House has potentially killed a bill that would have placed a five-year moratorium on genetically modifying Hawaiian taro. The House today sent the bill back to committee.

For this particular bill to pass, it would have to pass the House by Thursday and be sent back to the Senate.

While the moratorium could possibly be revived before session ends on May 1, it seems unlikely after today's action.

Lawmakers last week had reached a tentative compromise between researchers and native Hawaiians who consider taro a sacred plant.

The draft before the House would have prohibited experimentation on Hawaiian taro, while allowing researchers to work with other strains.

However, those in favor of a moratorium worried that the altered taro would cross-pollinate and contaminate the Hawaiian variety.