Hawaii legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii HB2561: Relating to Feral Animals.
Status: Failed, March 20, 2026
Designates feral chickens on public lands, in a city with a population of three hundred thousand or more, as a controllable pest for purposes of public health and nuisance prevention. Prohibits the intentional keeping, maintaining, or supporting of feral chickens on state or certain city lands, including by feeding or placing chickens in such areas. Prohibits the abandonment of chickens on public lands or on private property without consent. Establishes fines and authorized enforcing agencies.
What the bill says
A bill for an act relating to feral animals. parti.
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FERAL ANIMALS. PARTI SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the city and county of Honolulu currently regulates the keeping of chickens in urban Honolulu, including limits on the number of chickens or peafowl per household and land use standards that allow the accessory keeping of hens but not roosters. The legislature further finds that although existing animal nuisance provisions prohibit nuisance behavior by animals, including poultry, increasing feral chicken activity on public lands may contribute to public nuisance conditions, sanitation concerns, and impacts to public facilities and neighboring properties. The purpose of this part is to strengthen and complement existing local rules in cities with a population of three hundred thousand or more by: (1) Declaring feral chickens on public lands as a public nuisance and controllable pest for purposes of public 2026--1666 HB2561 HD2 EMSO H.B. NO. Page2 H.D.2 health, sanitation, and the safe use and enjoyment of public property; (2) Prohibiting acts that support feral chickens on public lands, including feeding feral chickens; and (3) Prohibiting abandoning, depositing, dumping, relocating, or releasing chickens on public lands or on private property without consent. SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "CHAPTER FERAL CHICKENS § -1 Applicability. This …
Sponsors
- Ikaika Olds (D, 23) · primary sponsor
- David Alcos (R, 41)
- Terez Amato (D, 11)
- Della Belatti (D, 26)
- Cory Chun (D, 35)
- Tina Grandinetti (D, 20)
- Daniel Holt (D, 28)
- Greggor Ilagan (D, 4)
- Kirstin Kahaloa (D, 6)
- Darius Kila (D, 44)
- Matthias Kusch (D, 1)
- Trish La Chica (D, 37)
Latest actions
- : The committee on AEN deferred the measure.
- : The committee on WLA deferred the measure.
- : The committee(s) on AEN/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-26 1:03PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
- : Referred to AEN/WLA, WAM/JDC.
- : Passed First Reading.
- : Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 117).
- : Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Garcia, Muraoka voting no (4) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
- : Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 788-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- : The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Yamashita, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Hartsfield, Perruso, Gedeon; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Alcos; and Excused: none.
- : Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 02-25-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
Votes
- Third Reading with Representative(s) Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Garcia, Muraoka voting no (4) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1) (March 5, 2026): 46 yea, 4 nay, passed
- Third Reading with Representative(s) Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Garcia, Muraoka voting no (4) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1) (March 5, 2026): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
- FIN: recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED (February 25, 2026): 15 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1) (February 20, 2026): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
- JHA: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (February 18, 2026): 8 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1) (February 11, 2026): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Report, Appropriations, Penalties, Rules, Feral Animals, Counties, Prohibition, DLNR
Common questions
- What is HB2561?
- HB2561 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to Feral Animals.
- What does HB2561 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act relating to feral animals. parti.
- What is the status of HB2561?
- Failed as of March 20, 2026. Latest action: The committee on AEN deferred the measure. (March 20, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB2561?
- Ikaika Olds (D, 23), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB2561?
- On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2561&year=2026
Source: official Hawaii record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.