The digitization of Hawaii’s Plants and Animals Declaration Form is set to be launched in March under the Akamai Arrival pilot program, state leaders announced Monday.

The initiative, authorized under Act 196 during the previous legislative session, represents a significant step toward modernizing the state’s biosecurity efforts by improving form completion rates and enhancing protections against invasive species.

The pilot program will run from Saturday through May 31, concentrating exclusively on ensuring compliance with the new digital technology. While the state intends to add tourism-related checks into the digital process in the future, the current initiative will primarily enhance the review of travelers’ agricultural declarations.

Beginning Saturday, the pilot program, overseen by the state Department of Agriculture, will be implemented on select domestic flights in collaboration with major airlines including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Participating airlines will integrate the digital form into their arrival processes, allowing passengers to submit their required agricultural declarations more efficiently before landing in Hawaii.

“It is a great relief to see this innovation. To have it be done electronically is going to be very positive. It’s going to be helpful for our state, but most importantly, it’s our biosecurity weapon,” Gov. Josh Green said. “We’re taking this important step today to begin to modernize how we protect Hawaii and launch this Akamai Arrival pilot program.”

Green emphasized that the initiative is not only focused on safeguarding agricultural security, but also aims to protect the overall ecosystem, which contributes to the health of local communities and beyond.

The collaborative effort among Green, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, legislators, airline partners and stakeholders to modernize state processes aims to safeguard Hawaii’s natural heritage.

“This is what government should be doing — utilizing technology to improve our state processes and better serve the public. Every one of us, whether coming home or traveling to Hawai‘i, is very familiar with filling out the paper agriculture form. By digitizing this form, we’re making compliance easier for travelers while using technology to protect what makes Hawai‘i so special,” Luke said.

Airlines participating in the pilot have discretion over flight selection and implementation methods. The “Akamai Arrival” website will serve as a central hub for passengers, providing access to the digital form, flight information and an FAQ page to assist travelers.

“U.S. airlines play a critical role in connecting travelers to Hawai‘i, and the transition from paper to digital agriculture declaration forms is a significant step toward modernizing the travel experience,” Sean Williams, Airlines for America vice president of state and local government affairs, said in a statement. “We’re proud to support the ‘Akamai Arrival’ program, making the arrival process more seamless and efficient for travelers.”

Travelers should be aware that all arrivals from the mainland to Hawaii are required by state law to complete the Agriculture Declaration Form. Since its implementation in 1973, this form has been a critical tool in preventing the introduction of invasive species that threaten Hawaii’s unique ecosystem.

Failing to complete the form accurately or defacing it can result in serious consequences, as people who provide false information or neglect to declare prohibited or restricted items — including plants, animals and certain food products — face severe penalties.

Violations could result in a misdemeanor charge with fines of up to $25,000 and/or up to one year in prison. Furthermore, intentionally smuggling prohibited items, such as snakes or other invasive species, could escalate to a Class C felony, carrying a maximum penalty of $200,000 and/or up to five years in prison.

“We are saying aloha to a 79-year-old process,” said state Sen. Glenn Wakai, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs. “The AG form was introduced to the state of Hawaii in 1946. We’ve been addicted to the paper for all of that time. Ridiculous. … I engaged the Department of Agriculture to figure out how we can digitize this paper AG form. To be honest, they were very reluctant for a number of years, and they told me to force them to do it. So I said, ‘All right, I’m gonna change the law.’”

According to Wakai, Hawaii boasts the best tourism data in the nation, largely due to its long-standing requirement for travelers to complete the Agriculture Declaration Form.

Since the introduction of tourism-related information in the 1950s, the form has provided valuable insights into the effectiveness of marketing efforts. While the current pilot program focuses on agricultural compliance, Wakai assured that the tourism aspect will not be overlooked; it will soon be integrated into the digital format, ensuring that essential data continues to be collected.

Monthly progress updates will be shared with participating airlines, and data collected will help determine potential expansions of the program in the future.

Travelers are encouraged to consult their airline carriers for specific details about how to complete the digital form, which might involve options for pre-arrival completion, including check-in reminders or in-flight Wi-Fi access.