STAND. COM. REP. NO.  734

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 1316

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1316 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the number of available rental options for tenants with animals by amending the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code to allow a landlord, as a condition of a rental agreement, to add to the security deposit an amount to compensate for damages caused by any animal allowed to reside in the premises.

The Humane Society of the United States; Hawaiian Humane Society; Hawaii Association of REALTORS; West Hawaii Humane Society; Woodstock Properties, Inc.; Gustafson Real Estate; Homeward Bound; Cornerstone Properties; National Association of Residential Property Managers; and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  An individual testified in opposition to this measure.  The Disability and Communication Access Board and several individuals provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that a landlord shall not require as a condition to the rental agreement, an additional amount in the security deposit for service animals; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to November 1, 2013.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1316, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1316, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary,

____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

____________________________ ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair