HB 319 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Summary

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, under certain conditions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB319 → HB319_HD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill version significantly expands exemptions from cruelty to animal charges, allowing property owners and lessees to exterminate feral chickens and other pests under specific conditions. It removes a requirement for the Department of Agriculture to adopt new rules and sets a future effective date of July 1, 3000.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include property lessees alongside owners for pest control exemptions, and the applicability of the cruelty statute was broadened to cover more pest control scenarios.

ELIGIBILITY

Property lessees are now eligible to perform pest control and feral chicken extermination on private property, whereas previously only property owners were explicitly mentioned.

REQUIREMENT

Exemptions for feral chicken extermination now require adherence to American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for Euthanasia of Animals instead of general pest control rules.

New exemptions were added for property owners and lessees using poison (if legally used) and traps (if licensed and instructions followed) for insects, vermin, and pests.

The requirement for the Department of Agriculture to adopt specific rules regarding humane extermination of insects, vermin, pests, and feral chickens was removed.

TIMELINE

The bill's effective date was changed from immediate approval to July 1, 3000.

DEFINITION

The list of exempted acts in the statute was expanded to include specific methods like poison and traps under defined conditions.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 638) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to AGR, JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors