STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3275

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3153

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 3153, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to, beginning January 1, 2025, prohibit:

(1) The confinement of specified farm animals in a cruel manner; and

(2) Business owners and operators from selling certain products made from those animals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from The Humane Society of the United States, Natural Resources Defense Council, Climate Protectors Coalition, Hawai‘i Center for Food Safety, Center for Biological Diversity, Animal Equality, Love of Life Farm, Villa Rose Egg Farm, Friends of the Earth, Hawaiian Egg Company, Animal Rights Hawai‘i, Humane Society International, and eight individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Island Farms and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that certain methods of farm animal containment are cruel to animals and threaten human health and safety by increasing the risk of foodborne illness. Often, farm animals, such as pigs and chickens, are confined to small cages that limit their natural movement and increase the risk for the spread of foodborne pathogens. This measure prevents cruelty to farm animals and increases food safety by phasing out extreme methods of farm animal confinement and the sale of products produced through extreme confinement.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Applying the prohibition beginning December 31, 2025;

(2) Deleting the criminal penalty of misdemeanor for violations; 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 Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3153, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3153, S.D. 2.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair