STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2581

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 5

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 5 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO EVALUATE THE IMPORT REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS FOR DOMESTIC ANIMALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the Department of Agriculture to evaluate and report to the Legislature on the import requirements and process for domestic animals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's current system for importing domestic animals into the State is outdated and complicated. Under the existing system, dogs, cats, and other carnivores originating from the United States and other non-exempted areas are required, upon arrival in the State, to be confined to a quarantine station for a period of up to one hundred twenty days to prevent the introduction of rabies to the State. Your Committee supports all efforts to keep Hawaii rabies-free and acknowledges the ongoing efforts by the Department of Agriculture to improve the import process and reduce stresses placed on pets and pet owners.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the word "exploitive";

(2) Deleting language that suggested possible improvements to the domestic animal importation process; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 5, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 5, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair