STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2336

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2563

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2563 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) to allow any resident of a public housing project or state low-income housing project to keep one or more pet animals in the resident's unit, subject to applicable state laws, county ordinances, and any reasonable conditions;

(2) Provide that HPHA may charge a refundable deposit for each pet animal but shall not impose a monthly pet fee or pet rent; and

(3) Allow HPHA to remove a vicious animal to protect persons or property.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Pōpoki Place Oʻahu Cat Sanctuary, Hawaiian Humane Society, Human Animal Support Services, Humane Society of the United States, Animal Interfaith Alliance, Aloha Kitty TNR, and eleven individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

Your Committee finds that the State currently has a large homeless population. A major reason a portion of the homeless population does not seek to utilize state public housing is the restriction regarding pets. Many of these individuals cared for their animals during trying times in their lives, and the separation from or the surrender of their pets poses too much of a challenge or mental strain, thereby discouraging the use of housing programs. This measure adjusts the current restrictions and allows pets within public housing, pursuant to certain restrictions that are less strenuous than the current requirements.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a general fund appropriation in an unspecified amount to establish two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions to enforce the pet policy established by this measure and to maintain state public housing statewide; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2563, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2563, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair