STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3291

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1527

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1527, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERINARY MEDICINE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the exemption for the unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine by animal owners and their employees to prohibit any persons who are not licensed to practice veterinary medicine from performing any surgical procedure on pet animals; and

(2) Increase the penalties for violations of veterinary medicine licensing requirements.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Animal Welfare Institute, Hawaiian Humane Society, Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, Animal Rights Hawaiʻi, Bird and Bee Animal Sanctuary, Animal Interfaith Alliance in Britain, and eleven individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine; and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.

Your Committees find that there is a need for more explicit laws to protect pet animals from significant harm caused by veterinary procedures performed by unlicensed individuals. Your Committees recognize that existing statute contains a loophole that allows animal owners and employees of animal owners who are unlicensed to perform surgical procedures on these animals. This measure specifically protects pet animals and deters unlicensed individuals from performing veterinary procedures on animals.

Your Committees further recognize that surgical procedures require proper training, knowledge of anatomy, and the ability to prescribe proper pain management therapeutics, which the typical pet owner or their employees would have not received or been able to receive. Your Committees acknowledge the testimony from the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association stating that this measure would not allow non-veterinarians to perform currently acceptable livestock animal husbandry practices in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that exempts "cropping and docking as customarily practiced" as an offense of cruelty to animals in the first degree;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1527, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1527, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair