HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 430 Draft 02 2022-2024 COUNTY OF HAWAII -•� `.'' •- STATE OF HAWAI`I
44 OF•HF'�
RESOLUTION NO. 430 24
(DRAFT 2)
A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO AMEND
CHAPTER 142, HAWAI`I REVISED STATUTES, TO PROVIDE FOR GREATER
PUBLIC SAFETY AGAINST THE RISK OF DAMAGE, INJURY, AND DEATH POSED
BY DANGEROUS DOGS BY INCREASING ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
AGAINST OWNERS OF SUCH DOGS.
WHEREAS, the American Veterinary Medical Association considers dog attacks to be a
serious health risk to our society that is almost entirely preventable through public education and
properly enforced measures by owners to keep dogs humanely restrained and secured; and
WHEREAS, Hawai`i County residents and their animals have recently been subjected to
a number of vicious attacks by dogs, causing severe injuries and ultimately resulting in the
deaths of persons and animals that were attacked; and
WHEREAS, on April 6th, 2022, in response to these recurring attacks, the Council of the
County of Hawai`i ("the Council") unanimously passed Bill No. 125, Draft 2, which was signed
into law as Ordinance No. 22-36 by Mayor Mitchell Roth on April 21st, 2022; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 22-36 provided additional provisions to regulate persons
who own, harbor, or keep any dog that has bitten, injured, maimed, or killed a person or injured,
maimed, or destroyed an animal belonging to another person; and
WHEREAS, dog attacks have continued to occur since the enactment of this legislation,
demonstrating the need for stronger laws,penalties, and enforcement relating to dangerous dogs;
and
WHEREAS, inconsistencies in State and County laws regarding dangerous dogs have
made it unclear which laws are enforceable to hold dog owners accountable; and
WHEREAS, the problem of dangerous dogs is not unique to Hawai`i County, and the
Hawai`i State Association of Counties recognized this issue as the number one legislative
priority for its 2024 legislative package; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Legislature is currently considering multiple bills, such as
S.B. 2692 and H.B. 2058, that would establish requirements and penalties for dog owners that
allow their dogs to injure or kill other animals or people; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I that this
body hereby urges the Hawai`i State Legislature to amend Chapter 142, Hawai`i Revised
Statutes, to set and increase fines, penalties, and other regulations as prescribed in Ordinance No.
22-36, including providing that owners convicted under the law be found guilty of a class C
felony for a dog attack that results in substantial bodily injury to a person, or a class B felony if
the attack results in death.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council supports the intent of S.B. 2692 and
H.B. 2058 and urges the legislature to consider these bills and other similar measures as potential
vehicles to bring about much-needed changes to State law in an effort to prevent any more
injury, damage, or death caused by dangerous dogs.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Joshua Green, M.D., Governor of the State of Hawai`i; the
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi, President of the Hawai`i Senate; the Honorable Scott K. Saiki,
Speaker of the Hawai`i House of Representatives; the Honorable members of the Hawai`i Island
delegation to the Hawai`i State Legislature; the Honorable Mitchell D. Roth, Mayor of the
County of Hawai`i; the Honorable Kelden Waltj en, Prosecuting Attorney of the County of
Hawai`i; Benjamin Moszkowicz, Chief of Police of the County of Hawai`i; the Honorable
Thomas Waters, Chair of the Council of the City and County of Honolulu; the Honorable Alice
L. Lee, Chair of the Council of the County of Maui; the Honorable Melvin Rapozo, Chair of the
Council of the County of Kaua`i; the Honorable Steven S. Alm, Prosecuting Attorney of the City
and County of Honolulu; the Honorable Rebecca V. Like, Prosecuting Attorney of the County of
Kaua`i; and Andrew H. Martin, Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui.
Dated at Kona , Hawai`i, this 21st day of February , 20 24 .
INTRODUCED BY:
CIL MEMBE UNTY OF HAWAI`I
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawai`i AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawai`i EVANS X
GALIMBA X
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by INABA X
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the KAGIWADA X
County of Hawaii on February- 21, 2024
KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X
KIERKIEWICZ X
ATTEST: KIMBALL X
LEE LOY X
VILLEGAS X
8 0 1 0
ctf2,9
Reference: C-712.21/GOEAC-108
�LZIJAI%I'Y CLE AIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 430 24
(DRAFT 2)
2