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SB1521 • 2026

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

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Active

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

Sponsor
RHOADS, RICHARDS, McKelvey, San Buenaventura, Wakai
Last action
2026-01-21
Official status
Re-Referred to TRS, WAM.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

What This Bill Does

  • RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.
  • Deceased Pet Animals; Public Roadways; Microchips; Notification; Appropriation ($) 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.
  • Appropriates funds.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-21 S

    Re-Referred to TRS, WAM.

  2. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  3. 2025-01-27 S

    Referred to TCA, WAM.

  4. 2025-01-23 S

    Introduced and passed First Reading.

  5. 2025-01-22 S

    Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.
Deceased Pet Animals; Public Roadways; Microchips; Notification; Appropriation ($)
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. Appropriates funds.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB1521

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1521

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to transportation
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that since January 1,
2022, all cat and dog owners in Hawaii have been required to have a microchip
implanted in their pet and to register that microchip number and the owner's
contact information with a microchip registration company.
�
The legislature further finds that when
employees of the state and county agencies responsible for disposing roadkill
pick up dead cats and dogs that have been killed on public roadways, they do
not routinely scan the deceased animals for microchips or take any other
measures to ascertain the animal's owner.
�

As a result, owners of lost cats or dogs are not informed if their pet
has been killed by a vehicle.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to require the appropriate state and county agencies to:

����
(1)
�
Scan deceased cats
and dogs collected from public roadways for microchips and, if applicable,
record the microchip as well as any other relevant information from the
animal's tag or collar;

����
(2)
�
Notify county animal
services or animal service contractors of the deceased dog or cat; and

����
(3)
�
Appropriate funds for the purchase of
microchip scanning equipment.

����
SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 264, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

����
"
�264-
�
Deceased
cats and dogs; disposal.
�
(a)
�

When disposing of a deceased cat or dog found on a public roadway, the
department shall check for, scan, and record the microchip of the deceased cat
or dog, if any, along with the location found, descriptive information of the
cat or dog and, if applicable, any contact information such as a phone number,
name, or address shown on the animal's collar or tag.

����
(b)
�

When disposing of a deceased cat or dog found on a public roadway, the
department shall timely notify the appropriate county animal services or animal
service contractors of the deceased cat or dog, including the microchip number,
if any; location found; descriptive information about the cat or dog; and, if
applicable, any contact information such as a phone number, name, or address
shown on the animal's collar or tag.
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
Chapter 265A, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�265A-
�
Deceased cats and dogs; disposal.
�
(a)
�
When disposing of a deceased cat or dog found
on a public roadway, the appropriate county department shall check for, scan,
and record the microchip of the deceased cat or dog, if any, along with the
location found, descriptive information of the cat or dog and, if applicable,
any contact information such as a phone number, name, or address shown on the
animal's collar or tag.

����
(b)
�

When disposing of a deceased cat or dog found on a public roadway, the
appropriate county department shall timely notify the appropriate county animal
services or animal service contractors of the deceased cat or dog, including
the microchip number, if any; location found; descriptive information about the
cat or dog; and, if applicable, any contact information such as a phone number,
name, or address shown on the animal's collar or tag.
"

����
SECTION
4.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so
much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the purchase of
microchip scanning equipment; provided that:

$
shall go to the county of Hawaii;

$
shall go to the county of Kauai;

$
shall go to the county of Maui; and

$
shall go to the city and county of Honolulu.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department
of transportation for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION
5.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

����
SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Deceased
Pet Animals; Public Roadways; Microchips; Notification
; Appropriation

Description:

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.
�
Appropriates funds.

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