Committee amends bill to create farm-animal control contractor after high bid responses and budget constraints

The Honolulu City Council Committee on Government Efficiency and Customer Services on Aug. 21 amended Bill 5 (2025) to the posted proposed CD1 and adopted a verbal amendment specifying that “the Department of Customer Services or another department designated by the mayor may enter into” contracts for farm-animal control services. The committee then reported the bill out for passage and second reading and scheduled a public hearing after the chair called for objections and none were voiced.

The measure, as posted, would repeal Article 4 in Chapter 3 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (ROH) 2021 related to pound masters and add a new article to govern duties and functions of a farm-animal control contractor. Council Member Valerie Tupelo, a co-contributor, and other committee members said the bill creates a pathway for contracting to handle stray farm animals.

Kim Hashiro, director of the Department…