HB1852

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1852
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO FERAL CHICKENS.

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

SECTION 1. Section 142-93.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§142-93.5[]] Mongoose; feral chickens; killing allowed. (a) No person shall be prohibited from killing a mongoose or a feral chicken in any manner not prohibited by law, including by trapping.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(1) Permit animal fighting or cockfighting; or

(2) Permit the use of torture, starvation, immolation, or beating.

SECTION 2. Section 183D-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "wild birds" to read as follows:

""Wild birds" means birds, other than game birds, living in a wild and undomesticated state, and the young and eggs of those birds. "Wild birds" does not include feral chickens as defined in section 142-93.5."

SECTION 3. Section 711-1109, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (1) to read as follows:

"(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; provided further that this paragraph shall not apply to acts performed in accordance with section 142-93.5(a);

(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 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."

SECTION 4. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Feral Chickens; Killing; Wild Birds; Animal Cruelty; Exemption

Description:

Allows the killing of feral chickens. Exempts feral chickens from definition of "wild birds". Exempts killing of feral chickens from the offense of cruelty to animals.

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

HB 1852: FERAL CHICKENS; KILLING; WILD BIRDS; ANIMAL CRUELTY; EXEMPTION

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