STAND. COM. REP. NO.  356-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2749

      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 Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2749 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ALLOWING DOGS IN RESTAURANTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to permit a restaurant patron to bring a dog into a restaurant under certain conditions and at the discretion of the restaurant owner or manager.

 

     Hawaiian Humane Society and Poi Dogs & Popoki testified in support of the measure.  Respiratory & Environmental Disabilities Association of Hawaii and two individuals testified in opposition to the measure.  The Department of Health and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission commented on the measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Specifying that a restaurant that permits dogs in the restaurant shall have safety and sanitation control procedures in effect to:

 

(A)  Immediately clean animal feces, urine, waste, saliva, vomitus, or other animal fluids, and properly disinfect contaminated areas and surfaces; and

 

(B)  Prevent animal waste from entering food preparation areas;

 

(2)  Specifying that the bill's provisions shall not diminish the rights of persons with disabilities from requesting or obtaining reasonable accommodations under Chapter 489, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to discrimination in public accommodations; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2749, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2749, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair