STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2624

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2837

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2837 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a spay and neuter special fund and allow funds from an income tax check-off to be deposited into the special fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Best Friends, Maui Humane Society, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Animal Balance, Hawaiian Humane Society, Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs, Animal Interfaith Alliance in Britain, Petfix Spay and Neuter, Neighborhood Cats, Kaua‘i Humane Society, Love A Cat Charity, Aloha Animal Advocates, Conflictresolution.com, The Humane Society of the United States, Molokai Humane Society, Hawaii Island Humane Society, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and ninety-six individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Attorney General, Department of Taxation, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, and North Shore Ko‘olau Diversity Collective.

Your Committee finds that overpopulation of certain animals contributes to widespread suffering of those animals in the State. Spaying and neutering of pets would reduce the overpopulation of animals and limit the need for euthanization. Despite the value of spaying and neutering for the prevention of animal suffering, the State does not contribute funds to support the practice. This measure establishes a spay and neuter special fund and allows an income tax check-off to be deposited into the special fund for the purpose of supporting spaying and neutering of certain animals in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation into and out of the Spay and Neuter Special Fund;

(2) Replacing references to a husband and wife with reference to a married couple for purposes of income tax filing; 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 S.B. No. 2837, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2837, 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,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair