STAND. COM. REP. NO.  569

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 702

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 702 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help prevent cruelty to and neglect of pet dogs by:

 

(1)  Extending criminal liability to the owner of a dog that has been deprived of sustenance;

 

(2)  Requiring notification of a change of ownership when a dog who is licensed is transferred; and

 

(3)  Requiring persons holding a dog license to provide microchip information.

 

     Numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Hawaiian Humane Society supported the intent of this measure.  The Pacific Pet Alliance and a few concerned individuals opposed this measure.  A concerned individual provided comments.

 

     Your Committee intends that this measure aid in locating those responsible for abuse or neglect of a dog, but notes that this measure may have the unintended consequence of deterring people from micro-chipping their dogs.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Specifying that a person who does not give proper notice of the transfer of a dog may be liable for acts of animal cruelty, rather than mandating that they shall be liable;

 

(2)  Deleting the provision that a person who finds a dog running at large and turns it over to the proper authorities will not be considered to have abandoned the dog;

 

(3)  Amending the definition of the term "owner" to include the person who most recently held the license on the dog; and

 

(4)  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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 702, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 702, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair