HB 364 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO ANIMAL CONTROL.

Summary

Establishes the Spay and Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation, including the free-roaming cat population, and authorizes an income tax designation to provide revenues into the special fund. Requires that female cats over the age of three months and male cats over the age of five months be surgically sterilized, with certain exceptions. Authorizes county animal control authorities to establish and enforce a permit program to allow the responsible breeding of cats. Establishes minimum requirements for breeding permits and penalties. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. Applies to taxable years after 12/31/2025. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Feb 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB364 → HB364_HD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was expanded from a single section on cat sterilization to a comprehensive animal control package that includes a new special fund for spay/neuter surgeries, an advisory committee to oversee fund usage, and updated sterilization requirements for both male and female cats. The original version only addressed female cats over three months, while the new version also requires male cats over five months to be sterilized. The bill also clarifies breeding permit requirements and establishes a mechanism for collecting funds through state income tax refunds.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from solely regulating cat sterilization to including a dedicated special fund for spay/neuter surgeries, an advisory committee structure, and broader applicability to both male and female cats with different age thresholds.

FISCAL

Established a new 'Spay and Neuter Special Fund' in Chapter 36 to collect and distribute money for pet sterilization surgeries.

Added provision allowing individuals to designate $5 of their state income tax refund to the special fund.

REQUIREMENT

Added sterilization requirement for male cats over five months old, whereas the original version only applied to female cats over three months.

Updated breeding cat permit requirements to include specific health criteria and age limits (18 months to 7 years) for breeding cats.

DEFINITION

Created an advisory committee with seven members to establish eligibility criteria for special fund disbursements.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from July 1, 3000 to July 1, 2025 for appropriations, while tax provisions apply to taxable years after December 31, 2025.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 236) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Marten, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Kong, Pierick; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Lowen.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to CPC, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor