STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1718

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   S.B. No. 189

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 189, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the requirement that a dog has bitten a human being on at least two separate occasions before any person may bring an action to determine whether conditions of treatment or confinement have changed so as to remove the danger the dog poses to other persons.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that under existing law, a person may bring an action in court to inquire into the conditions of treatment or confinement of a dog that has bitten a human being only if the dog has bitten a human being on at least two separate occasions.  Your Committee further finds that this requirement may be difficult to assess as many incidents of dog bites go unreported.  This measure will allow an individual to inquire into the conditions of treatment or confinement of a dog without the burdensome requirement of proving two separate occasions on which the dog bit a human being.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 3021, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 189, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 189, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair