Senate committee advances bill to unify Customs and Biosecurity and create special account for long-term funding

The Senate committee adopted Senate Bill 24-48 after extended testimony and questions about implementation and authorities. Sponsor Senator Jude U. Hofschneider praised the work of the Division of Customs and Biosecurity and said the bill reflects “efforts that has been put into the piece of legislation.”

Colonel James C. De Leon Guerrero, who said he is assigned to and oversees the Division of Customs and Biosecurity, told the committee the bill would allow a special account “to be able to address long-term challenges into the future” as federal grant funding phases out, and would “unify the two different positions” so officers can perform both customs and biosecurity inspections. He said the change would also allow personnel to access training offered by outside partners and better address interceptions at ports and on Tinian where vessel traffic has produced frequent biosecurity interceptions.

Committee members asked several implementation questions, including whether officers would gain detention powers, how permits issued by a state veterinarian would be handled, and whether inter-island shipments would require inspections. Colonel De Leon Guerrero and legal counsel responded that customs officers already hold law-enforcement authority and that the bill’s purpose is to formalize the merged functions in statute (rather than regulation), provide flexibility in personnel deployment and address current gaps in authority and compensation. He noted that agricultural quarantine inspectors are currently paid “about a few thousand dollars less” than customs counterparts, creating morale issues the bill aims to resolve as the Division moves toward self-sustaining revenues.

The bill also includes provisions intended to preserve functions currently handled by the Department of Lands and Natural Resources, and the witnesses said the Division will continue to collaborate with DILENOR, the college extension (CREES) and federal partners on entomology, permitting and technical expertise. Committee members sought clarification that the bill would not inadvertently expand authority beyond the Commonwealth’s existing legal framework; counsel said the draft relies on current customs authority and consolidates roles rather than creating new detention powers.

After discussion the committee moved and, by voice vote, adopted SB24-48 and ordered it to rise to the full Senate. The committee set no roll-call tally in the record; members acted by voice vote. The committee also noted a regional biosecurity conference scheduled April 6–10 where staff expect to engage subject-matter experts and training partners.

Next steps: SB24-48 will be prepared for full Senate action and the committee requested the legislative assistant and counsel to finalize any technical language as needed.