STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1031-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2985

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2985, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERINARIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect animals by:

(1) Providing civil immunity, absent gross negligence, to veterinarians who render emergency care or treatment to an animal, whether there is a veterinarian-client-patient relationship or not; and

(2) Requiring veterinarians to report certain suspected injuries, killing, or abuse of an animal to law enforcement.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine, Hawaiian Humane Society, Animal Rights Hawaii, For Forgotten Felines, and thirteen individuals.

Your Committee finds that veterinarians should be permitted to use their skills and expertise to render emergency aid to animals without the fear of civil liability, provided that the aid is rendered in good faith and absent gross negligence. This measure provides appropriate civil immunity to veterinarians while ensuring the protection of animal health and welfare.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 31, 2150, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2985, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2985, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair