Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 1680 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the owner of a dangerous dog from allowing that dog to roam without supervision, provide for penalties, and require owners of dangerous dogs to obtain liability insurance.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by a concerned citizen. Testimony in support of the measure's intent was submitted by the Board of Agriculture. Testimony in opposition to the measure was submitted by the Hawaiian Humane Society and the Kauai Humane Society.

Your Committee finds that lack of funding of the Humane Society has caused the job of animal control to move to the police departments, which do not have enough staff to manage the problem. Many questions remain, such as whether this legislation is under the correct chapter heading, whether funding is required, how a dog's owner may obtain due process rights to have the incident investigated, and why a dog may be euthanized, under this legislation, prior to any investigation of the incident. Your Committee finds that more research is needed on these issues, and believes this measure should continue in the legislative process to promote further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1680 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.