STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1510

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 544

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 544, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PET INSURANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a regulatory framework specifically for pet insurance based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Pet Insurance Model Act.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaiian Humane Society, Crum & Forster, North American Pet Health Insurance Association, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that existing law requires pet owners to provide necessary emergent medical care for their animals. Additionally, part of responsible pet ownership is to provide regular wellness and preventative care, with regular veterinary visits being essential to maximizing an animal's health, longevity, and quality of life. However, these medical costs are expensive, with a 2024 survey by Ward Research finding that a third of pet owners surveyed reporting that they struggled to afford veterinary care. This measure will ensure that pet owners in the State have access to pet insurance to help mitigate the costs of providing necessary veterinary care to their pet animals.

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 H.B. No. 544, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair