STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3445

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1940

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1940, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SERVICE ANIMALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture for the planning and design of a professional training facility for guide dogs and other professionally trained service dogs on a designated portion of the State's animal quarantine facility site in Halawa Valley.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawai‘i System, Department of Human Services, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the location of the proposed training facility is well-suited for a guide-dog facility as an environmental impact statement has already been prepared for the site. Your Committee further finds that the construction of a professional training facility for guide dogs and other professionally trained service dogs will facilitate opportunities for the Department of Agriculture to collaborate with the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, as it develops a companion animal program within its animal science curriculum.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting the original appropriation amount of $300,000;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2020; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1940, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1940, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair