STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2347

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2512

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2512 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase penalties and establish a fine for animal desertion.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Humane Society of the United States, Animal Rights Hawaii, Hawaii Island Humane Society, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Hawaiian Humane Society, Kauai Community Cat Project, Pele Lani Farm LLC, and forty-two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

     Your Committees find that thousands of animals, primarily dogs and cats, are abandoned across Hawaii every year, contributing to increased animal control costs, animal suffering and overpopulation, increased euthanasia rates at local animal shelters, and possible harm to native wildlife.  Your Committees further find that stronger penalties for animal desertion would encourage pet owners to work with local shelters and animal control contractors when a pet must be re-homed, strengthen pet retention and the human-animal bond, and protect pet owners and the animals themselves.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that each violation per animal is a separate offense; and

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2512, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2512, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Judiciary and Labor,

________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair