CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 61

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2013

RE:    S.B. No. 6

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 6, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the use of certain cruel or lethal methods for the control of animals.  Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires dogs or cats that are captured or killed in a snare or certain traps to be reported to a county animal control officer;

     (2)  Establishes an animal cruelty offense for the use of steel-jawed leg-hold traps or the use of snares, conibear, and foot- or leg-hold traps in residential or other prohibited areas;

     (3)  Establishes the offense as a misdemeanor; and

     (4)  Provides certain exemptions for activities carried out by state and federal agencies.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that this measure allows for the use of appropriate tools to control feral animals, such as pigs, goats, sheep, deer, and wild cattle, where there is a potential for these animals to damage natural resource areas.  At the same time, this measure establishes reasonable additional protections for pet animals in residential areas, where they are most likely to be inadvertently caught if certain animal control tools are employed.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by deleting the exemption for state or federal employees for the use of steel-jawed leg-hold traps but retaining the exemption for state or federal employees to use snares, conibear traps, and foot- or leg-hold traps in residential or other prohibited areas for certain purposes.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 6, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 6, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair	____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair
	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Co-Chair