STAND. COM. REP. 2483

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2675

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2675 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION IN REAL PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to add as a discriminatory practice in real property transactions the discrimination against individuals who live with an animal.

Testimony in favor of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaiian Humane Society, Kauai Humane Society, Animal CARE Foundation, and seventeen private citizens. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, and Hawaii Association of Realtors.

Your Committee finds that interaction between animals and individuals have a very positive effect on emotional and psychological well being. Furthermore, doctors have recommended companion animals for persons with disabilities because the animals greatly decrease a person's stress levels and improve an individual's ability to function and cope with their disability on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many condominium associations, community associations, and landlords are unwilling or do not allow pet owners to buy or rent in their communities.

Your Committee has amended this bill by more appropriately amending the Landlord-Tenant Code to prohibit landlords from including clauses in their agreements that prohibit pets in the dwelling units.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2675, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2675, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair