THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
301
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO DOGS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 142-74, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§142-74 Liability of dog owner; penalty. (a) If any dog, while on private property without the consent of the owner of that property, injures or destroys any sheep, cattle, goat, hog, fowl, or other property belonging to any person other than the owner of the dog, the owner of the dog shall be liable in damages to the person injured for the value of the property [[Struck through: so]] [Underlined: that was] injured or destroyed. The owner of the dog shall confine or destroy the dog, and if the owner of the dog neglects or refuses to do so, the owner of the dog, in the event of any further damage being done to [[Struck through: the]] [Underlined: any] person or property of any person by the dog, in addition to paying the person injured for the damage, shall pay the costs of the trial together with the penalty imposed under section 142-12, and it shall be lawful for any other person to destroy the dog.
[Underlined: (b) Any dog owner found liable under subsection (a) shall be fined not less than $1,000, in addition to the penalties imposed under subsection (a), if the dog was on private property zoned for agricultural use when the violation occurred.]
[[Struck through: (b)]] [Underlined: (c)] Each county may enact and enforce ordinances regulating persons who own, harbor, or keep any dog that has injured, maimed, or destroyed an animal belonging to another person. No ordinance enacted under this subsection shall be held invalid on the ground that it covers any subject or matter embraced within any statute or rule of the State; provided that the ordinance shall not affect the civil liability of a person owning, harboring, or keeping the dog. Upon enactment of an ordinance, whether enacted on, before, or after June 30, 2001, the ordinance shall have full force and effect; provided that the ordinance is consistent with this section."
SECTION 2. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on April 23, 2057.
Report Title:
Dog Owner; Liability; Agricultural Land; Penalty
Description:
Establishes an additional penalty for a dog owner whose dog destroys property while on land zoned for agricultural use. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)
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