The Hawaiian Humane Society regularly engages in efforts to improve our state and county animal laws. Current efforts include:

Bills of Interest in the 2025 State Legislative Session

SUPPORT

Housing Access for Pet Owners

There are multiple bills this session that recognize the critical need to expand housing access for pet owners. The inability to find housing that welcomes pets is among the most common reasons that people need to find new homes for beloved family members. This is a preventable tragedy that takes a terrible toll on people and pets.

HB699 Relating to Pet Animals

This bill prohibits insurers from refusing to issue or renew, canceling, restricting, otherwise terminating, or charging higher rates for a commercial general liability insurance policy, homeowners insurance policy, renters insurance policy, or dwelling fire policy based on the breed of any dog that is kept on the insured premises. It also prohibits landlords from charging additional monthly fees for the keeping of a pet animal, except in certain circumstances; and prohibits landlords from charging more than one-third of one month’s rent as an additional pet animal security deposit. This is modeled after similar laws around the country that have improved housing access for pet owners and the Hawaiian Humane Society is in strong support.

SB416 Relating to the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code

This bill prohibits rental agreements from prohibiting tenants from keeping pet animals in dwelling units, subject to certain conditions. 

Other housing measures will be added as they are scheduled for hearings.

Pet Animal and Free-Roaming Cat Overpopulation

There are several bills this session that would improve access to pet and Free-Roaming cat spay/neuter services. As animal welfare organizations and advocates are keenly aware, shelter populations have been persistently high for the last two years as people struggle to keep their pets, backyard breeders continue to breed more animals than they can sell, and the demand for low- and no-fee spay/neuter in the community outpaces the availability of services.      

HB547 / SB1023 Relating to the Spaying and Neutering of Animals

This bill establishes the Spay and Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation and the reproduction of free-roaming cats and various revenue and fundraising sources for the special fund. We are in strong support, as is the Hawaii Animal Welfare Association. Two similar measures are SB394 and SB566. If those measures are heard we will ask for amendments to incorporate the language of SB1023.

Animal Cruelty

Preventing harm to animals and punishing their abusers are always top priorities for Hawaiian Humane. Two measures aim to do just that:

HB698 Relating to Animal Cruelty

This bill amends the criminal penalties for various animal cruelty offenses by increasing the category of offense. Animal abuse is too often disregarded or lightly punished by the legal system despite the terrible toll that it takes on animals and the proven connections between these crimes and violence perpetrated against vulnerable human beings. This bill would increase those penalties and Hawaiian Humane is in strong support.

HB49 / SB1021 Relating to Wildlife

This bill bans the keeping or breeding of cetaceans in captivity except in certain circumstances. Hawaiian Humane supports this bill, which is designed to phase out the practice of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity for entertainment purposes by preventing the companies that keep them from adding to their populations by breeding or importation. It is not possible to meet the complex needs of wild animals in captivity. It is also not humane to release animals bred and raised in captivity into the wild. This bill represents a humane and practical step toward ending an inhumane practice.

HB719 Relating to Animal Fur Products

This bill prohibits the sale, offer, possession with intent to sell, display, distribution, or trade of fur products in the State, with certain exceptions. Establishes civil penalties for violations. While this measure is a prohibition on fur products, its intent is to end the cruel practice of farming animals for their fur. It has Hawaiian Humane’s support.

SB593 Relating to Commercial Dog Breeders

This bill defines a “dog breeder” as any person who owns, possesses, controls, or otherwise has charge or custody of more than ten dogs over the age of twelve months with intact sexual organs, and who sells, barters, or otherwise transfers more than three litters or more than twenty-five dogs per calendar year; requires dog breeders to meet minimum standards of care and not place certain types of dogs in the same enclosure to ensure the proper treatment and care of dogs and the dogs’ offspring; prohibits any person from owning or having custody of more than thirty dogs over one year with intact sexual organs; requires dog breeders to maintain specific written records for each dog for a specified period; authorizes each county to assess, implement, and enforce its own licensing system; and establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations. The state of Hawaiʻi is an outlier in its lack of regulation of animal-related businesses or nonprofits. The status quo results in animal suffering and the Hawaiian Humane Society stands in strong support of the regulation of dog breeders.

SB1022 Relating to Animal Endangerment

This bill prohibits intentionally leaving or confining pet animals in a vehicle under conditions that endanger their health, safety, or well-being. Allows law enforcement officers, animal control officers, and firefighters to enter an unattended vehicle to protect the health, safety, or well-being of a pet animal that is endangered by being left or confined in an unattended vehicle. Allows private citizens to rescue a pet animal that has been left in an unattended vehicle under certain circumstances.

Human-Animal Bond

Our animal welfare champions in the Legislature have introduced several bills this session that recognize the importance of the human-animal bond.

HB667 / SB599 / SB1521 Relating to Transportation

This bill requires the Department of Transportation or appropriate county department when disposing of a deceased cat or dog from a public roadway to scan the animal for a microchip, record certain information, and report that information to the appropriate county animal services or animal service contractors and appropriates funds. This measure codifies the will expressed in the last legislative session by a successful resolution that giving pet owners a sense of closure when their lost pets die on our roadways is in the public interest. The measure includes funding for state and county agencies to carry out the mandate and it has our strong support.

SB493 Relating to Veterinarians

This bill establishes the Veterinarian Workforce Development Special Fund; establishes the Veterinarian Workforce Development Fee to support recruitment and retention of veterinarians in the State; establishes the Veterinarian Workforce Development Loan Repayment and Scholarship Program to support qualified veterinarians committed to or currently working in veterinary medicine in the State; and appropriates funds. This measure is intended to increase the number of veterinarians practicing in the state and it has Hawaiian Humane’s strong support.

HB5444 Relating to Pet Insurance

This bill establishes a regulatory framework specifically for pet insurance based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Pet Insurance Model Act. This is a commonsense measure that protects consumers by holding pet insurance providers accountable to transparent disclosure about their policies and coverage.

Fireworks

In the wake of the early New Years Day tragedy in Aliamanu, in which the ignition of a crate of illegal fireworks killed five people, there are more than two dozen bills being considered on the issue this session. We will post details as bills are scheduled for hearings. The Hawaiian Humane Society supports efforts to remove fireworks from residential neighborhoods by keeping these dangerous products out of our state entirely and/or enhancing enforcement. We oppose efforts to liberalize firework laws.

HB806 Relating to Fireworks

This bill appropriates funds for the Honolulu Police Department and Department of Law Enforcement to conduct sting operations on Oʻahu to enforce fireworks ordinances or laws; and authorizes a court to order the forfeiture of one-half of any pension of an Employees’ Retirement System member, former member, or retirant upon conviction of the individual for a felony related to certain uses of prohibited fireworks. This measure has enormous potential to deter the importation, purchase and use of illegal fireworks by public employees and it has Hawaiian Humane’s support.

SB302 Relating to Fireworks

This bill amends the definition of “cultural;” prohibits the use of consumer fireworks except for cultural use by permit; repeals the wording of section 132D-3(1), HRS, that generally allows the use of consumer fireworks without a permit on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the Fourth of July; makes it unlawful to offer, display for sale, sell, or furnish consumer fireworks to any person except for cultural use by permit; prohibits the sale of fireworks to a person more than 5 calendar days before a permitted cultural use; imposes a fee of $25 per permit for the purchase and cultural use of consumer fireworks; and imposes a statewide limitation on consumer fireworks, except by permit for cultural use. This measure is part of the State Fire Council Package and it has Hawaiian Humane’s support.

SB1226 Relating to Fireworks

This bill establishes the Shipping Container Inspection Program; requires the Department of Law Enforcement to submit reports to the Legislature on implementation of the Shipping Container Inspection Program; and appropriates funds. This measure supports the incredible work of the Illegal Fireworks Task Force and it has Hawaiian Humane’s support.

HB1005 / SB1324 Relating to Fireworks

This bill amends multiple definitions and penalties for fireworks offenses, including heightened penalties if another person suffers substantial bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death as a result of the fireworks offenses; establishes criminal offenses of general fireworks or articles pyrotechnic prohibitions in the first and second degree; sending or receiving fireworks or articles pyrotechnic by air delivery; distributing fireworks or articles pyrotechnic to non-permit holder; removal or extraction of pyrotechnic contents; consumer fireworks prohibitions; refusal to provide identification; and violating requirements of carrier; establishes an adjudication system and procedures to process fireworks infractions; and makes an appropriation. This measure aims to increase penalties and increase accountability for violators. It has Hawaiian Humane’s support.

HB550 Relating to Fireworks

Part I of this bill allows video recordings made by law enforcement agencies who are using, controlling, or operating an unmanned aerial vehicles to establish probable cause for an arrest under the Fireworks Control Law if the unmanned aerial vehicle is recording directly above a public park, street, sidewalk, easement, or any public property and the act leading to the arrest is committed on a public street, sidewalk, or other public property. Part II appropriates funds to the Department of Law Enforcement for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor the use of illegal fireworks. This measure allows police to shoot drone footage from airspace above public property and use such footage as evidence of fireworks violations. It also appropriates funds to purchase drones.

HB1483 Relating to Fireworks

This bill establishes an adjudication system and procedures to process fireworks infractions; amends multiple definitions and penalties for fireworks offenses, including heightened penalties if another person suffers substantial bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death as a result of the fireworks offenses; establishes various criminal offenses and penalties related to fireworks or articles pyrotechnics; and appropriates funds. This measure aims to increase enforcement against fireworks infractions by creating a new system of adjudication and new penalties.

HB508 / SB222 Relating to Fireworks

This bill amends Act 67, SLH 2023, to appropriate funds for the illegal fireworks task force for FY 2025-2026 and FY 2026-2027 and to extend the sunset date of the Act from 6/30/2025 to 6/30/2030.

OPPOSE

HB363 Relating to Animals

This bill establishes cat owner liability for harm to property or native birds; prohibits the care of predators on state lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and establishes administrative fines. This measure does not make exceptions for people involved in humane Free-Roaming cat population management. It would subject volunteer trappers to liability as the “owners” of the animals they spay/neuter and return. The Hawaiian Humane Society opposes enacting laws that erect barriers to humane population management.

HB980 Relating to Animals

This bill amends the law authorizing the killing of mongoose by clarifying the circumstances under which mongoose may be killed and authorizing feral chickens to be killed under certain circumstances.

HB319 Relating to Cruelty to Animals

This measure exempts from the crime of cruelty to animals in the second degree the extermination of insects, vermin, and pests, and the extermination of feral chickens on private property by the property owner; provided that the extermination is conducted in accordance with standard and acceptable pest control practices and rules adopted by the Department of Agriculture. Requires the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules, pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, concerning the humane extermination of insects, vermin, pests, and feral chickens. Standard and acceptable pest control practices are already exempt from animal cruelty protections and Hawaiian Humane opposes any further weakening of the animal cruelty statute.