STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1119-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2593

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2593, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FERAL CATS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to humanely address the exponential increases in the feral cat population by:

 

     (1)  Requiring an unspecified state agency to contract with a nonprofit animal rescue group to oversee caretakers of feral cats;

 

     (2)  Exempting registered feral cat caretakers from state and county laws relating to the feeding and confinement of cats; and

 

     (3)  Establishing a feral cat trap-sterilize-return process.

 

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources and Office of Hawaiian Affairs opposed this measure.  The Humane Society of the United States and Hawaii Association of Animal Welfare Agencies provided comments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2593, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair