STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1019

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 111

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 111 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A SUNRISE REVIEW OF THE REGULATION OF LARGE-SCALE DOG BREEDERS AND DOG BREEDING FACILITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a sunrise review of the regulation of large-scale dog breeders and dog breeding facilities.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, The Humane Society of the United States, Hawaiian Humane Society, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Regulated Industries Complaints Office of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

 

     Your Committee finds that dog breeding is currently unregulated in Hawaii.  Further, while animal cruelty laws do exist, they are insufficient to allow for effective enforcement, particularly since current law does not allow entry onto property for the investigation of suspected violations.  Your Committee also finds that unscrupulous breeding programs not only harm breeding animals that are kept under inhumane conditions, but also produce puppies that are sold to unsuspecting consumers despite their unsuitability as pets due to health problems.  Finally, your Committee finds that this measure would allow for the regulation and oversight of the dog breeding industry to effectively prevent the operation of puppy mills.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the Auditor's requested assessment should also address alternative forms of regulation, as provided in section 26H-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

 

     (2)  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 Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 111, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 111, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair