STAND. COM. REP. NO.  826

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

 

RE:   H.B. No. 698

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

 

Madame:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 698 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the category offense for various animal cruelty offenses.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Green Party of Hawaiʻi; Hina's Legacy Rescue Foundation; Animal Rights Hawaiʻi; Fur-Angel Foundation; Hawaiian Humane Society; Omizu Architecture Inc.; Hawaii SPCA; and numerous individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that animal cruelty is a serious crime with strong links to violence against humans, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, intimate partners, and the elderly.  Research indicates that many violent offenders have a history of abusing animals, and exposure to such cruelty during childhood increases the likelihood of future abusive behavior.  This measure enhances penalties for animal cruelty offenses to ensure harsher consequences for offenders and improve community safety.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 698, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 698, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair