The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Hawai’i County Council on Nov. 5, 2025.
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Nov. 5, 2025, 9 a.m.
Hawai‘i County Council Chambers in Hilo
To: Hawai‘i County Council
Holeka Goro Inaba, Chair
Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst
RE: Bill 52 (2025) — RELATING TO HENNERIES
Aloha Chair Inaba, Vice Chair Onishi and other members of the Council,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 52, Draft 3 (2025), which would allow people to own female chickens, guineas, ducks or quails for the purpose of noncommercial egg production in single-family residential, double-family residential, multifamily residential, residential-commercial mixed-use and residential and agricultural zones.
The birds would be limited to two per the first 3,000 square feet of lot area, with an additional bird per 1,000 additional square feet of lot area.
The benefit of this proposal, if enacted, is that it would enhance Hawaii Island’s self-sufficiency efforts, since raising birds for egg production would reduce the need for egg imports.
The current draft of the bill does not allow eggs to be sold, but perhaps future legislation could create standards for allowing household henneries as a home occupation, which would give island residents the opportunity to make extra income.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
