Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1617 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create criminal offenses for endangering or harassing a peace officer's horse or dog.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and the Honolulu Police Department. The Office of the Public Defender testified in opposition.

Your Committee finds that horses and dogs used by peace officers serve a very important law enforcement purpose. Horses provide transportation in areas where automobiles and motorcycles would be impractical. Dogs serve several functions, including detecting drugs, locating persons, and protecting the safety of officers.

As such, your Committee finds that horses and dogs used for law enforcement should receive special protection from the law, just as our other law enforcement officers receive special consideration. Therefore, your Committee supports this measure, which criminalizes not only endangering a peace officer's animal, but also harassing, teasing, and agitating an animal.

Your Committee made several technical, nonsubstantive amendments to this measure for clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1617, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1617, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.