Governor signs biosecurity bills to protect Hawai‘i from invasive species, pests and diseases

Gov. Josh Green has signed several bills to strengthen the state’s resilience against biosecurity threats and protect against invasive species, pests and diseases, and that support Hawai‘i agriculture.

The governor signed into law Act 236 on June 27, which among other provisions, renames the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture as the Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity and the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture as the Board of Agriculture & Biosecurity. The name changes became effective July 1. The transition to printing and using the new name will be an ongoing process for various department operations. 

Green also approved the state budget (Act 250) on June 30. It includes an “unprecedented” $26.6 million appropriation and 44 new positions to the newly named department for biosecurity. 

“I cannot express how appreciative we are for the support that the department has received from legislators and the Governor,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of Board of Agriculture & Biosecurity. “Our main focus now is to transform this funding and legislative support into comprehensive and effective programs to protect Hawai‘i from invasive species and grow our agricultural industry.”

Under Act 236, the department will establish a deputy to the chairperson position for biosecurity, effective Jan. 1, 2027. That deputy will oversee the department’s biosecurity program, including animal and plant quarantine inspections and other invasive species interdiction, mitigation and control programs. The law also authorizes the department and governor to declare a biosecurity emergency to take certain actions to prevent the establishment and spread of pests and prohibited or restricted organisms.

Other provisions include:

• Requiring inspection of various items deemed high-risk for invasive pests that are transported interisland.
• Authorizing a transitional facilities program, where the government licenses private individuals to inspect goods for disease, infection, infestation and other matters of concern, and includes defining standards, uses, licensing, as well as imposing fees for the use and registration of a transitional facility.
• Requiring the department to certify and train biosecurity compliance auditors to inspect imported plants and animals.
• Increasing penalties for illegally transported plants, animals and microorganisms.
• Authorizing the department to establish and enforce the Plant Care Component Program to certify wood chips or compost that is used in the propagation of plants or in a filter sock and other actions to conduct plant care component treatments before shipment.
• Requiring the department to establish a pest dashboard to report and track biosecurity activities.
• Transferring the Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity on Jan. 1, 2030.

Other significant agriculture-related items in the state budget include: 

• $2 million to supplement the funds for the operation of state irrigation systems.

• $5 million for the Dam and Appurtenance Program – for improvements for dam safety.
• $7 million – improvements to the Animal Industry Division facility in Hālawa.