CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2021

 

RE:    S.B. No. 189

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 189, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOG BITES,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the requirement to prove that a dog has bitten a person on at least two separate occasions prior to bringing legal action against a dog's owner to determine whether conditions of treatment or confinement have changed so as to remove the danger the dog poses to other persons.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that dog bites are among the top reasons for emergency room visits, ranking higher than injuries occurring on motorcycles, to pedestrians, and from gunshots.  Your Committee on Conference further finds that existing state law only allows a dog bite victim standing in district court if it can be proven to the court that the dog has bitten and injured on a prior separate occasion.  This measure will allow an individual to inquire into the conditions of treatment or confinement of a dog without the burdensome requirement of proving the dog previously bit a human being on two separate occasions.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 189, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 189, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA

Chair

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS

Chair