STAND. COM. REP. NO.  680-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2296

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2296 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMAL WELFARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the purchase, sale, transportation, and delivery of any product, item, or substance containing, or labeled or advertised as containing bear gallbladders or bile.

The Humane Society of the United States, Born Free USA, the Hawaiian Humane Society, the West Hawaii Humane Society, Hui Pono Holoholona, and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the prohibition applies to bear gallbladders and bile as well as any product, item, or substance that contains bear gallbladder or bile;

     (2)  Precluding the applicability of exemptions set forth in section 159-29, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to violations relating to the prohibitions regarding bear gallbladders and bile; and

     (3)  Changing the effective date to January 7, 2059, to facilitate further discussion.

     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. 2296, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2296, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair