RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY.

Crime

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: KILA, AMATO, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, OLDS, TAM, TODD
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not provide specific details about enforcement mechanisms for the new penalties.

Increasing Punishments for Animal Cruelty

This bill increases the criminal penalties for certain animal cruelty offenses, particularly those involving pet animals and service or law enforcement animals.

What This Bill Does

Increases the penalty for first-degree cruelty to pet animals from a class C felony to a class B felony.
Raises the penalty for second-degree cruelty to animals that involve ten or more pet animals or result in an animal's death, making it a class B felony instead of a misdemeanor.
Enhances penalties for subsequent offenses involving injury or death to service animals and law enforcement animals.

Who It Names or Affects

People who commit acts of cruelty towards pet animals
Individuals involved with service or law enforcement animals

Terms To Know

Felony: A serious crime that can lead to a long prison sentence.
Misdemeanor: A less serious crime than a felony, but still punishable by jail time or fines.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not affect rights and duties that matured before its effective date.
It is unclear how the increased penalties will be enforced in practice.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: The amendment increases penalties for animal cruelty offenses and bans convicted individuals from owning pets for five years.

Cruelty to animals in the first degree is now a class B felony instead of a class C felony.
If an offense involves ten or more pet animals, or if it results in an animal's death, cruelty to animals in the second degree becomes a class B felony.
Convicted individuals are prohibited from possessing or owning any pet animal for at least five years.

The amendment text is complex and includes many specific legal details that are not summarized here.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: The amendment increases criminal penalties for animal cruelty involving pet animals and service animals.

Increases the penalty for first-degree animal cruelty when a pet animal is involved from a class C felony to a class B felony.
Adds a provision that prohibits anyone convicted of first or second degree animal cruelty involving pet animals from owning or possessing any pet animal or equine animal for at least five years after conviction.

The amendment text is incomplete and does not provide full details on all changes, particularly regarding service animals.
Specific penalties and enforcement measures for second-degree cruelty to service animals are not detailed in the provided text.

SD1_PROPOSED

Hawaii published version SD1_PROPOSED

Plain English: This amendment increases criminal penalties for animal cruelty involving pet animals, making it a more serious offense.

Cruelty to animals in the first degree involving pet animals will be classified as a class B felony instead of a class C felony.
Cruelty to animals in the second degree involving ten or more pet animals or causing death to a pet animal will also be classified as a class B felony, up from a misdemeanor.

The amendment does not specify how these changes will affect non-pet animal cruelty cases.
It is unclear if there are any exceptions or additional requirements for the penalties imposed.

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: The amendment increases criminal penalties for animal cruelty involving pet animals and service animals.

Increases the penalty for first-degree animal cruelty involving pet animals from a class C felony to a class B felony.
Adds a provision that prohibits anyone convicted of causing injury or death to a service animal from possessing or owning any pet animal or equine animal for at least five years.

The amendment text is incomplete and does not provide full details on all changes, particularly regarding the second-degree cruelty section.

SD1_SFA6

Hawaii published version SD1_SFA6

Plain English: The amendment changes the effective date of a bill about animal cruelty from its original date to July 1, 2050.

Changes the effective date of the bill to July 1, 2050.

The original effective date is not provided in the amendment text, so it's unclear what the previous date was.

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-23 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 873).
2025-04-23 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-25 4:45PM; Conference Room 325.
2025-04-23 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; DeCoite, Gabbard, Richards, Fevella.
2025-04-15 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 732).
2025-04-14 H
House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Shimizu.
2025-04-11 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 705).
2025-04-10 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2025-04-10 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 775) in amended form (SD 2).
2025-04-10 S
Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Aquino, Chang, DeCoite, Inouye, McKelvey, Richards, San Buenaventura. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Fevella). Transmitted to House.
2025-04-08 S
48 Hrs. Notice 04-10-25
2025-04-08 S
Floor amendment adopted as amended (SD 2).
2025-04-08 S
Floor Amendment No. 6 offered.
2025-04-03 S
48 Hrs. Notice 04-08-25.
2025-04-03 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2025-04-03 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1667) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2025-03-31 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Chang ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) San Buenaventura.
2025-03-28 S
The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 03-31-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2025-03-24 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-28-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference (Proposed Draft).
2025-03-10 S
Re-Referred to JDC.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to AEN, JDC.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 269).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Iwamoto, Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kapela, Pierick, Ward excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-27 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-27 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 826) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2025-02-20 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Perruso; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
2025-02-18 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-20-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY.
Penal Code; Animal Cruelty; Pet Animals; Service Animals; Law Enforcement Animals; Penalties
Increases the criminal penalties for the offenses of cruelty to animals in the first and second degree that involve pet animals. Increases the criminal penalty for a second or subsequent offense of causing injury or death to a service animal or law enforcement animal. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB698

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

698

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to animal cruelty
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that animal
cruelty offenders are a threat to the health and safety of all members of our
communities, especially vulnerable populations.
�

Recent research has shown that animal cruelty is a predictive and co‑occurring
crime with violence against humans, including children, intimate partners, and
the elderly.
�
Psychological studies show
that seventy per cent of violent criminals began by abusing animals.
�
Children who witness animal abuse are also
more likely to abuse animals as teenagers and adults.

����
The
legislature further finds that there has been a significant increase in animal
cruelty cases in Hawaii over the past five years.
�
According to the Honolulu police department,
there were seventy‑three animal cruelty crimes in 2023 compared to fifty
eight in 2018.
�
The prevalence of animal
cruelty crimes in the State and its correlation with other serious violent
crimes warrants increased penalties for offenders.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to amend the criminal penalties for various animal
cruelty offenses by increasing the category of offense.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 711-1108.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (5) to read as follows:

����
"(5)
�
Cruelty to animals in the first degree [
is
]

shall be
a class [
C
]
B
felony.
�
In addition to any fines and imprisonment
imposed under this section, any person convicted under this section shall be
prohibited from possessing or owning any pet animal or equine animal for a
minimum of five years from the date of conviction."

����
SECTION
3
.
�
Section 711-1109, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�
711-1109
�
Cruelty to animals in the second degree.
�
(1)
�
A person commits the offense of cruelty to
animals in the second degree if the person intentionally, knowingly, or
recklessly:

����
(a)
�
Overdrives,
overloads, tortures, torments, beats, causes substantial bodily injury to, or
starves any animal, or causes the overdriving, overloading, torture, torment,
beating, or starving of any animal;

����
(b)
�
Deprives a pet animal of necessary sustenance
or causes that deprivation;

����
(c)
�
Mutilates, poisons, or kills without need any
animal other than insects, vermin, or other pests; provided that the handling
or extermination of any insect, vermin, or other pest is conducted in
accordance with standard and acceptable pest control practices and all
applicable laws and regulations;

����
(d)
�
Keeps, uses, or in any way is connected with
or interested in the management of, or receives money for the admission of any
person to, any place kept or used for the purpose of fighting or baiting any
bull, bear, cock, or other animal, and includes every person who encourages,
aids, or assists therein, or who permits or suffers any place to be so kept or
used;

����
(e)
�
Carries or causes to be carried, in or upon
any vehicle or other conveyance, any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner;

����
(f)
�
Confines or causes to be confined, in a kennel
or cage, any pet animal in a cruel or inhumane manner;

����
(g)
�
Tethers, fastens, ties, or restrains a dog to
a doghouse, tree, fence, or any other stationary object, or uses a trolley,
trolley with swivels, pulley, cable, running line, or trolley lacking swivels
at each end that is designed to attach a dog to two stationary objects in a
configuration that endangers the dog, including preventing the dog from
obtaining necessary sustenance;

����
(h)
�
Tethers or restrains a dog under the age of
six months unless the dog is engaged in an activity supervised by its owner or
an agent of its owner;

����
(i)
�
Tethers or restrains a dog by a tow or log
chain;

����
(j)
�
Tethers or restrains by means of choke collar,
pinch collar, or prong collar unless the dog is engaged in an activity
supervised by its owner or an agent of its owner; or

����
(k)
�
Assists another in
the commission of any act specified in paragraphs (a) through (j).

����
(2)
�
Subsection (1)(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (g),
and (h) shall not apply to:

����
(a)
�
Accepted veterinary practices;

����
(b)
�
Activities carried on for scientific research
governed by standards of accepted educational or medicinal practices; or

����
(c)
�
Pest control operations conducted pursuant to
chapter 149A by a pest control operator licensed pursuant to chapter 460J, if
the pest control is performed under a written contract.

����
(3)
�
Whenever any animal is so severely injured
that there is no reasonable probability that its life or usefulness can be
saved, the animal may be immediately destroyed without creating any offense
under this section.

����
(4)
�
Cruelty to animals in the second degree [
is
]

shall be
a misdemeanor, except [
that if the offense involves ten or
more pet animals in any one instance, then cruelty to animals in the second
degree is a class C felony.
]
as provided in subsection (5).

����
(5)
�
If the offense involves the death of an
animal, or if the offense involves ten or more pet animals in any one instance,
cruelty to animals in the second degree shall be a class B felony.
�
In addition to any other penalties imposed,
the person shall be prohibited from possessing or owning any animal for a
minimum of five years from the date of conviction.
"

����
SECTION
4
.
�
Section 711-1109.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (4) to read as follows:

����
"(4)
�
[
Violation of this section
]
Cruelty
to animals by fighting dogs in the first degree
shall be a class B felony[
.
]

for the first offense and a class A felony for the second or subsequent
offense.
"

����
SECTION
5
.
�
Section 711-1109.35, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (3) to read as follows:

����
"(3)
�
Cruelty to animals by fighting dogs in the
second degree [
is
]
shall be
a class C felony[
.
]
for the
first offense and a class B felony for the second or subsequent offense.
"

����
SECTION
6
.
�
Section 711-1109.37, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (4) to read as follows:

����
"(4)
�
Cruelty to animals by trapping [
is
]
shall
be
a misdemeanor[
.
]
for the first offense and a class C felony
for the second or subsequent offense.
"

����
SECTION
7
.
�
Section 711-1109.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (3) to read as follows:

����
"(3)
�
Any person who commits the offense of causing
injury or death to a service animal or law enforcement animal shall be guilty
of a class C felony[
.
]
for the first offense and a class B felony for
the second or subsequent offense.
"

����
SECTION
8
.
�
Section 711-1109.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsections (2) and (3) to read as follows:

����
"(2)
�
Any person who violates subsection (1) shall
be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 in
addition to any other penalties[
.
]
for the first offense and guilty
of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000 in addition to any
other penalties for the second or subsequent offense.

����
(3)
�

Any person who violates subsection (1) and recklessly causes the death
of or substantial bodily injury to the pet animal or equine animal shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000 in addition
to any other penalties[
.
]
for the first offense and guilty of a class
C felony and subject to a fine not exceeding $10,000 in addition to any other
penalties for the second or subsequent offense.
"

����
SECTION
9
.
�
Section 711-1109.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (3) to read as follows:

����
"(3)
�
Unless otherwise provided by any other law:

����
(a)
�
S
exual assault of an animal [
is
]

shall be
a misdemeanor for the first offense and a class [
C
]
B

felony for the second or subsequent offense; or

����
(b)
�
If the offense
subjected a minor to sexual contact with an animal or was committed in the
presence of a minor as defined in section 706‑606.4, sexual assault of an
animal [
is
]
shall be
a class B felony[
.
]
for the first
offense and a class A felony for the second or subsequent offense.
"

����
SECTION 10.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
SECTION
11.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 12.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Animal
Cruelty; Penalties

Description:

Amends
the criminal penalties for various animal cruelty offenses by increasing the
category of offense.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.