THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2174
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII
H.D. 1
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 150A-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§150A-8 Transporting in State. (a) Flora [[Struck through: and]][Underlined: ,] fauna[Underlined: , and other articles or materials] specified by rules and regulations of the department shall not be moved from one island to another island within the State or from one locality to another on the same island except by a permit issued by the department.
[Underlined: (b) The department may quarantine any business or other area that is known or reasonably suspected to be, based on the results of systematic surveys or reports or proximity to known populations, infested or infected with a pest in violation of this chapter or any rule adopted pursuant to this chapter to prevent the movement of a pest to or from the infested or infected location.]
[[Struck through: (b)]] [Underlined: (c)] The movement between the islands of the State of the following articles, viz., nursery-stock, tree, shrub, herb, vine, cut-flower, cut-foliage, cutting, graft, scion, bud, seed, leaf, root, or rhizome; nut, fruit, or vegetable; grain, cereal, or legume in the natural or raw state; moss, hay, straw, dry‑grass, or other forage; unmanufactured log, limb, or timber, or any other plant-growth or plant-product, unprocessed or in the raw state; soil; microorganisms; live bird, reptile, nematode, insect, or any other animal in any stage of development (that is in addition to the so-called domestic animal, the quarantine of which is provided for in chapter 142); box, vehicle, baggage, or any other container in which the articles have been transported or any packing material used in connection therewith shall be made in the [Underlined: following] manner [[Struck through: hereinafter set forth]]:
(1) Inspectional requirements. Any person who receives for transport, or brings or causes movement between the islands of the State, as freight, air freight, baggage, as ship's stores, or otherwise, any of the foregoing articles, shall ensure that the articles comply with inspectional requirements pursuant to rules and shall provide upon the inspector's request the waybill number, container number, name and address of the consignor, name and address of the consignee or the consignee's agent, marks, number of packages, description of contents of each package, and any other information that may be necessary to inspect, locate, or identify the same. If the articles are not inspected pursuant to rules, the articles shall be held in a manner that [[Struck through: they will not]] [Underlined: prevents] spread or [[Struck through: be likely to spread]] [Underlined: the likelihood of spreading] any infestation or infection of insects, diseases, or pests that may be present until an inspection can be made by the inspector to determine whether any article, or any portion thereof, is infested or infected with insects or diseases, or contains any pest. The department may adopt rules to define inspectional requirements of specific articles. Failure to obtain certification that the articles have met the inspectional requirements [[Struck through: prior to]] [Underlined: before] movement between the islands of the State [[Struck through: is]] [Underlined: shall be] a violation of this section;
(2) Labels. Each container in which any of the [[Struck through: above-mentioned]] articles are transported between the islands of the State shall be plainly and legibly marked, in a conspicuous manner and place, with the name and address of the shipper or owner forwarding or shipping the same, the name or mark of the person to whom the same is forwarded or shipped or the person's agent, and a statement of the contents of the container. Failure to comply with this paragraph [[Struck through: is]] [Underlined: shall be] a violation of this section;
(3) Authority to inspect. Whenever the inspector has good cause to believe that the provisions of this chapter are being violated, the inspector shall:
(A) Enter and inspect any aircraft, vessel, or other carrier at any time whether offshore, at the pier, or at the airport, for the purpose of determining whether any of the articles or pests enumerated in this chapter or rules adopted [[Struck through: thereto,]] [Underlined: pursuant to this chapter] is present;
(B) Enter into or upon any pier, warehouse, airport, or any other place in the State where any of the [[Struck through: above-mentioned]] articles are moved or stored, for the purpose of ascertaining, by inspection and examination, whether or not any of the articles is infested or infected with any pest or disease or contaminated with soil or contains prohibited plants or animals;
(C) Inspect any baggage or personal effects of passengers, officers, and crew members on aircraft or vessels moving between the islands of the State to ascertain if they contain any of the articles or pests enumerated in this chapter;
(D) Baggage or cargo inspection shall be made at the discretion of the inspector, on the pier, vessel, or aircraft or in any quarantine or inspection area; and
(E) Whenever the inspector has good cause to believe that the provisions of this chapter are being violated, the inspector shall require that any box, package, suitcase, or any other container carried as ship's stores, cargo, or otherwise by any vessel or aircraft moving between the islands of the State, be opened for inspection to determine whether any article or pest prohibited by this chapter or by rules adopted pursuant [[Struck through: thereto]] [Underlined: to this chapter] is present. It [[Struck through: is]] [Underlined: shall be] a violation of this section if any prohibited article, pest, or any article infested with an insect or disease is found;
(4) Place of inspection. The inspector shall make a determination whether it is necessary or advisable to move any of the [[Struck through: above-mentioned]] articles, or any portion thereof, to a place more suitable for inspection than the pier, airport, or any other place where they are initially presented for inspection. All costs and expenses incident to the movement and transportation of the articles to [[Struck through: such]] [Underlined: the] place shall be borne by the consignee or the consignee's agent;
(5) Disinfection or quarantine. If, upon inspection, any article intended for movement between the islands of the State is found to be infested or infected with an insect, disease, or pest, or there is reasonable cause to presume that it is infested or infected and the infestation or infection can, in the judgment of the inspector, be eradicated, a treatment shall be given [[Struck through: such]] [Underlined: to the] article [[Struck through: prior to]] [Underlined: before] movement between the islands of the State. The treatment shall be at the expense of the owner or the owner's agent, and the treatment shall be as prescribed by the department. The article shall be quarantined at the expense of the owner or the owner's agent at a satisfactory place approved by the department for a sufficient length of time to determine that eradication has been accomplished. If the infestation or infection is of [[Struck through: such]] [Underlined: a] nature or [Underlined: to an] extent that it cannot be effectively and completely eradicated, or after treatment it is determined that the infestation or infection is not completely eradicated, or if the owner or the owner's agent refuses to allow the article to be treated or to be responsible for the cost of treatment and quarantine, the shipment, article, or any portion thereof, together with all packing and containers, shall not be certified for movement between the islands of the State. An article infested or infected with an insect, disease, or pest that is not widespread in the State shall be destroyed at the expense of the owner or the owner's agent; provided that no treatment exists that would eradicate the insect, disease, or pest to the satisfaction of the department. [[Struck through: Such]] [Underlined: The] destruction shall not be made the basis of a claim against the department or the inspector for damage or loss incurred; and
(6) Disposition. Upon completion of inspection, the inspector shall conspicuously affix to the article, container, or to the delivery order or other similar document, a tag, label, or stamp to indicate that the article has been inspected and can be moved between the islands of the State."
SECTION 2. Section 150A-9.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
"(a) The department shall have the power, subject to the provisions of this section, to establish, implement, and enforce interim rules governing the transporting of flora [[Struck through: and]][Underlined: ,] fauna[Underlined: , and other materials known to harbor or transport a high-impact invasive species or pest] into and within the State. [[Struck through: Such]] [Underlined: The] rules shall not be subject to chapter 91.
(b) An interim rule may be adopted in the event that the importation or movement of any flora [[Struck through: or]][Underlined: ,] fauna, [Underlined: or materials,] in the absence of effective rules, creates a situation dangerous to the public health and safety or to the ecological health of flora or fauna present in the State [[Struck through: which]] [Underlined: that] is so immediate in nature as to constitute an emergency. No interim rule shall be adopted without [[Struck through: such]] a finding by the advisory committee on plants and animals created under section 150A-10."
SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.
Report Title:
DAB; Quarantine; Invasive Species; Pests; Interim Rules
Description:
Authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to quarantine any business or other area that is known or reasonably suspected to be infested or infected with any pest. Authorizes the Department to establish interim rules governing the transportation of any material into and within the State known to harbor or transport a high-impact invasive species or pest. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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