STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1667-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2026

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2026, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the offense of Cruelty to Animals by Slaughtering or Trafficking Pet Animals for Human Consumption as a misdemeanor.

The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Humane Society of the United States, Maui County Animal Coalition, Animal Rights Hawaii, Save an Animal.org, Oahu Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.   

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Limiting the scope of the offense to address dogs or cats as opposed to pet animals, specifically to prohibit the slaughter, trafficking, or possession of dogs or cats for the purpose of human consumption, or trafficking or possession of dog or cat products for the purpose of human consumption;

     (2)  Deleting unnecessary language referring to the lawful slaughter of non-pet animals as permitted by the Department of Agriculture;

     (3)  Defining "dog or cat products" to mean the carcass of a dog or cat or any part thereof;

     (4)  Amending the definition of "traffic" to include the gift or purchase of a dog or cat or dog or cat product;

     (5)  Deleting the severability clause;

     (6)  Making it effective on January 1, 2100, to promote further discussion; and

     (7)  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 S.B. No. 2026, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2026, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair