Bill Text: HI HB1940 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Service Animals.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-05-12 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [HB1940 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2020-HB1940-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1940 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to SERVICE animals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Guide Dogs of Hawaii is a private, not-for-profit education and community service organization that was initially founded in 1952 to specifically address and mitigate complications that arose from quarantine restrictions placed upon guide dogs that were professionally trained on the mainland United States, and has for sixty-seven years provided vital unduplicated programs and services to Hawaii's blind and visually impaired community that include adaptive aids, professionally trained guide dogs, and community education and advocacy.
The legislature also finds that all programs either currently operated or proposed by Guide Dogs of Hawaii provide professionally trained guide dogs, services, and assistive aids for Hawaii's blind and visually impaired community, which yields higher employment with less need for lifetime support services for youth, and leads to greater independence and mobility for adults and seniors, thus minimizing the need for long term home and nursing care and fewer burdens to family, friends, and the community.
The legislature further recognizes that only half of the twenty-nine acre site in lower Halawa valley that constitutes the State's animal quarantine facility has been slated for use by the department of public safety as the location for the new Oahu community correctional center, and that an environmental impact statement has already been prepared for the site, which can allow the State to repurpose the remainder of this underutilized site for public benefit. Guide Dogs of Hawaii has expressed an interest in developing an operational facility in Hawaii for the professional training of guide dogs for eventual service to blind and visually impaired residents, which will reduce the dependence of Hawaii's residents on the importation of such professionally trained guide dogs from places like Australia. This reduction would be to the public benefit, and the legislature finds Guide Dogs of Hawaii is fully qualified to fulfill this mission. The legislature also finds that other, similar organizations already have access to and utilize the State's animal quarantine facility in a manner similar to that proposed by Guide Dogs of Hawaii.
The purpose of this Act is to appropriate sufficient funding to the department of agriculture for the planning and design of a professional training facility for guide dogs and other professionally trained service dogs, which is to be developed on behalf of Guide Dogs of Hawaii and partner organizations on a designated portion of the State's animal quarantine facility site as determined by the department of agriculture.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the planning and design of a professional training facility for guide dogs and other professionally trained service dogs on behalf of Guide Dogs of Hawaii and partner organizations, on a designated portion of the State's animal quarantine facility site in Halawa valley on the island of Oahu.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Animal Quarantine Facility; Guide Dogs of Hawaii; Assistance Animals; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for the design and development of a professional training facility for guide dogs and other professionally trained service dogs on an undeveloped portion of the State's animal quarantine facility in Halawa valley on Oahu.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
