STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1659

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 1387

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 1387, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MICROCHIP IDENTIFICATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require certain dog and cat owners to microchip their pets.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association of Animal Welfare Agencies and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and American Bird Conservancy.

Your Committee finds that microchip identification is the single most effective way of returning lost pets to their owners. Your Committee further finds that microchipping is an affordable way to locate a missing pet as it bypasses the need for animal control, thereby eliminating the cost of intake and boarding of lost pets at the expense of taxpayers. This measure will ensure that lost pets are returned to their owners in a timely and safe manner by requiring certain dogs and cats to be microchipped.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Excluding the Plant Quarantine Branch of the Department of Agriculture from the definition of "owner," thereby excluding the Branch from the microchip requirements proposed by this measure;

(2) Deleting as unnecessary language that stated the counties could dispense or modify licensing requirements for cats under chapter 143, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as cats are not required to be licensed under that chapter and the counties already have authority to regulate cats; and

(3) 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1387, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1387, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair