SB1521 would require the Hawaii Department of Transportation and the appropriate county departments, when disposing of a deceased cat or dog found on a public roadway, to check the animal for a microchip, record identifying information, and document any visible contact information from a collar or tag. The bill also requires timely notification to the appropriate county animal services or animal service contractors so that the animal can be matched with an owner if possible.
The measure is tied to Hawaii’s existing pet microchipping requirements and is intended to address the gap between mandatory microchipping and current roadkill disposal practices. It includes an appropriation from general revenues for microchip scanning equipment for the state and each county, with the Department of Transportation responsible for expending the funds. The bill would take effect on July 1, 2025, and would add new statutory duties in Chapters 264 and 265A, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
Impact
The bill would create new legal obligations for state and county agencies handling deceased cats and dogs on public roadways, requiring them to scan for microchips, record location and descriptive information, and notify county animal services. It would amend Chapters 264 and 265A, HRS, by adding new sections governing disposal of deceased pets, and it would authorize state funding for microchip scanning equipment for the counties and the City and County of Honolulu.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the overall sentiment appears practical and animal-welfare oriented. The measure is framed as a response to a gap in current enforcement and notification practices, suggesting support for improving owner notification and using existing microchip registration systems more effectively. No formal opposition or divided vote history is available in the provided materials.
Contention
The main policy issue is implementation: the bill would impose new operational duties on state and county road and disposal crews and require equipment purchases and coordination with county animal services. Potential points of contention include the cost of the appropriation, whether the Department of Transportation or county agencies should bear responsibility, and the administrative burden of scanning and reporting every deceased cat or dog found on public roadways. No specific opposing viewpoints are documented in the available transcripts or votes.