# Hawaii HB 698: RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY.

Hawaii HB 698, RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Darius K. Kila (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-02 (Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB698-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 698
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2026-04-02, Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
- Sponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: Penal Code, Animal Cruelty, Pet Animals, Service Animals, Law Enforcement Animals, Penalties, JDC
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 5 (130 yes, 3 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

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)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terez Amato (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tina Nakada Grandinetti (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Chris Todd (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 22 | 2 |   |
| 2025-03-31 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 48 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-20 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 1 |   |

## Actions (35)

- 2026-04-02: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457). (Senate)
- 2026-04-01: House Conferee(s) discharged. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Senate Conferee(s) discharged. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409). (House)
- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-04-23: Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; DeCoite, Gabbard, Richards, Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-25 4:45PM; Conference Room 325. (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 873). (House)
- 2025-04-15: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 732). (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Shimizu. (House)
- 2025-04-11: Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 705). (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: 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. (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 775) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-04-10: House disagrees with Senate amendment (s). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Floor Amendment No. 6 offered. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Floor amendment adopted as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: 48 Hrs. Notice 04-10-25 (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: 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. (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1). (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: 48 Hrs. Notice 04-08-25. (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: 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. (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 03-31-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-24: The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-28-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference (Proposed Draft). (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Re-Referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 269). (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to AEN, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: 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. (House)
- 2025-02-27: 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. (House)
- 2025-02-27: 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). (House)
- 2025-02-20: 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. (House)
- 2025-02-18: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-20-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to JHA, referral sheet 2 (House)
- 2025-01-17: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD2_.pdf)
- HB698_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_HD1_.HTM)
- HB698_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD1_.HTM)
- HB698_SD1_PROPOSED: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD1_PROPOSED_.HTM)
- HB698_SD1_SFA6: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD1_SFA6_.HTM)
- HB698_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD2_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD2_.pdf)
- [HB698_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB698_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD1_.HTM)
- [HB698_SD1_PROPOSED (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD1_PROPOSED_.HTM)
- [HB698_SD1_SFA6 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD1_SFA6_.HTM)
- [HB698_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_SD2_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB698_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB698-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).