House committee advances spay‑neuter fund and contentious sterilization requirement for cats

The House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems passed an amended draft of HB1736 on Feb. 4, 2026, advancing a bill that would create a spay‑and‑neuter special fund and require surgical sterilization of cats older than five months, with specified exemptions.

Supporters including the American Bird Conservancy and the Hawaiian Humane Society told the committee the measure could reduce free‑roaming cat populations that threaten native birds and would fund low‑cost sterilization clinics. Grant Sizemore of the American Bird Conservancy said the requirement would “prevent unintended, cat reproduction before it has the chance to occur,” and Stephanie Kendrick of the Hawaiian Humane Society described the bill as a collaborative step to both fight pet overpopulation and protect wildlife.

Opponents urged changes to the sterilization mandate and to the bill’s mechanics. Dwayne Inouye, who testified in opposition, said the sterilization requirement as written could criminalize responsible indoor pet owners and asked the committee to narrow the scope. Bob Rilling Smith of the American Kennel Club and other dog‑fancier speakers argued the approach would impose burdensome costs and urged a broader stakeholder working group. Several speakers representing caretakers and volunteers said funding is needed to sustain trapping and clinic operations.

The committee’s adopted amendment package (chair’s recommendation) moved certain tax‑code references to the proper section, removed a “sport and competition” carve‑out in an earlier draft, and set an effective date placeholder for further discussion. The committee then voted to pass the measure as a house draft 1.

Committee members said they will continue technical work and noted the potential need to coordinate enforcement and record‑keeping with counties and animal‑welfare partners. The bill’s next procedural steps were not specified during the decision session.

The measure drew a large and divided public record: dozens of written and oral testimonies both in support of funding and in opposition to a universal sterilization mandate. The committee indicated it will continue technical revisions before final floor consideration.