STAND. COM. REP. NO.  498-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2725

  H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2725 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to strengthen laws providing for the humane treatment of pet animals by:

(1)  Specifying the characteristics of the pet enclosure that would provide necessary sustenance to a pet animal; and

(2)  Also including within the definition of "necessary sustenance," veterinary care to prevent suffering.

     The Humane Society of the United States, Hawaiian Humane Society, Maui Humane Society, West Hawaii Humane Society, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Office of the Public Defender and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying the definition of "primary pet enclosure" to specify that the definition applies to structures used to specifically restrict pet animals;

     (2)  Further amending the definition of "necessary sustenance" to include areas of confinement in a primary pet enclosure that accommodate the various sanitation and support needs of particular animals including birds, rabbits, and guinea pigs;

     (3)  Amending the definition of "pet animal" by:

          (A)  Specifying that pet animals include domesticated rabbits as long as they are not bred or raised for meat production purposes;

          (B)  Deleting domesticated pigs from being defined as pet animals; and

          (C)  Specifying that pet animals include caged birds as long as they are not bred or raised for egg or meat production purposes rather than simply bred for consumption;

     (4)  Changing the effective date to December 21, 2058, to encourage further discussion; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2725, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2725, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Chair