Bill > HB363

This bill proposes several changes to Hawaii's laws regarding animals, specifically focusing on cat and dog ownership and their interactions with wildlife and property. The bill expands existing statutes to include cats alongside dogs in provisions about liability for property damage, explicitly stating that cat owners can be held responsible if their cats cause injury or destruction to animals or property while on private land without the property owner's consent. The bill also modifies the legal definition of "predators" to include cats and clarifies that counties can create ordinances regulating pet owners whose animals harm other animals, including threatened or endangered species and birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Additionally, the bill prohibits individuals from releasing, feeding, or caring for unrestrained predators on state lands under the Department of Land and Natural Resources' jurisdiction, with escalating administrative fines for violations: $100 for the first offense, $500 for the second, and $1,000 for third or subsequent violations. The law specifically exempts hunters using dogs for hunting and authorized predator removal programs from these restrictions. These changes aim to protect native wildlife and establish clearer guidelines for pet ownership and animal management in Hawaii.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=363&year=2026