# Hawaii SB 1023: RELATING TO THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS.

Hawaii SB 1023, RELATING TO THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Chris Lee (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported from CAA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1512-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1023-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 1023
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported from CAA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1512-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Spay and Neuter Special Fund, Cat Sterilization, Counties, Animal Control, Income Check-off, Appropriation, AGR, CAA, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (105 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Establishes the Spay and Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation, including the free-roaming cat population, and authorizes an income tax designation to provide revenues into the special fund. Requires cats over five months of age to be surgically sterilized unless covered by an intact cat declaration, and conditions the importation of intact cats on state and county declaration requirements, with certain exceptions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: C.
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-25 | House | The committee on CAA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-11 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CAA... | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-07 | House | The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-28 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 23 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 12 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-05 | Senate | The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-05 | Senate | The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-05 | Senate | The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 2026-03-30: Reported from CAA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1512-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN. (House)
- 2026-03-30: 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) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4). (House)
- 2026-03-25: The committee on CAA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Kapela, Kong, Garrett, Sayama; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M., Reyes Oda. (House)
- 2026-03-23: Bill scheduled to be heard by CAA on Wednesday, 03-25-26 10:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-11: Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1174) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CAA. (House)
- 2025-03-11: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CAA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-03-07: The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Kusch, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-05: Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Friday, 03-07-25 10:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-04: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-04: Referred to AGR, CAA, FIN, referral sheet 18 (House)
- 2025-02-28: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite, Keohokalole, Richards. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kidani). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 49) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2025-02-27: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 723) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: One Day Notice 02-28-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-18-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from AEN/TCA/EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 303) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Richards ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye. (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Richards ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: The committee(s) on AEN/TCA/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to AEN/TCA/EIG, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_HD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_.PDF)
- SB1023_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_HD1_.HTM)
- SB1023_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_HD2_.HTM)
- SB1023_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_SD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_HD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_.PDF)
- [SB1023_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB1023_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_HD2_.HTM)
- [SB1023_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1023_SD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [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-SB1023-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).