HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 430 Draft 02 2022-2024A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAI‘I 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 Hawai‘i 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 Waltjen, 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 _____________, Hawai‘i, this ______ day of ___________________, 20___.
INTRODUCED BY:
_______________________________________
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I
COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai‘i
Hilo, Hawai‘i
ROLL CALL VOTE
AYES
NOES
ABS
EX
EVANS
GALIMBA
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the
County of Hawai‘i on _____________________________________.
INABA
KAGIWADA
KĀNEALI‘I-KLEINFELDER
KIERKIEWICZ
ATTEST:
KIMBALL
LEE LOY
VILLEGAS
Reference:
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON & PRESIDING OFFICER
RESOLUTION NO.