HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	25
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 1

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY TO REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE PROCESSING OF STATE OF HAWAII PLANT AND ANIMAL DECLARATION FORMS, INCLUDING THE COSTS INVOLVED.

WHEREAS, section 150A-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires all passengers upon arrival to Hawaii to complete a State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form requires information on the importation of plants and animals, and requests statistical information on visitors and residents; and

WHEREAS, inspections of passengers' bags for possible importation of plants and animals into Hawaii are conducted upon the passengers' arrival in Hawaii from the mainland and international locations; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form and amnesty bins at the airports are among the multiple means by which the Department of Agriculture regulates the importation of plants and animals into Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Branch inspects regulated commodities at all ports of entry into Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, without enhanced enforcement of importation restrictions, passengers could be knowingly or unknowingly importing prohibited plants and animals that pose a threat to Hawaii's delicate ecosystem; and

WHEREAS, information collected from the State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form is reportedly processed and used by the Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Tourism Authority; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that more detailed information on the processing and use of data collected from the State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form may present opportunities to glean additional insights or increase the cost-effectiveness of the process; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Tourism Authority are requested to submit a report on the processing of the State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report include:

(1) A description of the use of information obtained from the forms;

(2) The costs associated with the forms, including but not limited to costs for printing, processing, and distributing the forms and personnel costs for processing information obtained through the forms;

(3) The number of staff assigned to review the forms;

(4) The method by which the forms are disposed;

(5) How often forms require a follow-up;

(6) The effectiveness of the forms;

(7) The relevance and usefulness of the data relating to the visitor and returning-resident component of the form;

(8) The level of compliance by passengers and carriers;

(9) The number of penalties, if any, imposed for failure to complete the form; and

(10) Whether the Department of Agriculture or Hawaii Tourism Authority has considered an alternative to the forms; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Director of Transportation, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Department of Land and Natural Resources Invasive Species Coordinator, and Chair of the Airlines Committee of Hawaii.

Report Title:

Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Tourism Authority; Declaration Form; Processing; Costs