Bill Text: HI HB1145 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Aircraft; Transfer of Pet Animals; Minimum Standards

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-08 - Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on TRN with Representative(s) Ward voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cachola, Har, McDermott excused (3). [HB1145 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-HB1145-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  252

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1145

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1145 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMAL TRANSPORT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a standard of care for the air transport and transfer of animals.

 

     Animal Rights Hawaii, The Humane Society of the United States, and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  Humane Society International supported the measure with amendments.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawaii Egg Producers Association; Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association; ESAIA e.V.; Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council; Airlines for America; Maui County Farm Bureau; Association of Zoos and Aquariums; Airlines Committee of Hawaii; Sea Dwelling Creatures, Inc.; A&M Aquatics; Fishy Business Aquarium; Pets Warehouse; Dork Fish Aquatics, LLC; Stockly's Aquariums, Inc.; Coral Fish Hawaii; Top Shelf Aquatics; Quality Marine; and numerous concerned individuals testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Agriculture and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation offered comments.

 

     Much of the testimony in opposition to this bill concerned the requirement that coldblooded animals be fed eight hours before transport.  Many experienced exporters in the aquarium fish industry testified that feeding fish so soon before a long trip in contained water would do more harm than good to the health of fish. 

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Explicitly excluding the transport and transfer of livestock and poultry and limiting the provisions of this measure to only pet animals and animals used for the pet trade;

 

     (2)  Removing feeding and watering requirements for coldblooded animals;

 

     (3)  Establishing the provisions of this measure as a minimum standard of care that can be superseded by local, state, or federal laws that provide more protection to animals; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purpose of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1145, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1145, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair