STAND. COM. REP. NO.681

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 643

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 643, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize counties to enact and enforce ordinances relating to vicious dogs.

Your Committee received testimony supporting the measure from the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, a member of the Honolulu City Council, the Hawaiian Humane Society, and the Kauai Humane Society, and four individuals. A private citizen submitted comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that vicious dogs threaten the public safety and believes that county regulation provides the level of protection and recourse from dog attacks that the public desires and deserves. The measure clarifies that State laws shall not preempt county ordinances relating to dog attacks.

Your Committee has amended the measure by clarifying that existing county ordinances covering animal attacks shall remain in force and effect upon the enactment of this measure and by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purpose of style.

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 S.B. No. 643, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 643, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

BRIAN KANNO, Chair