H.B. 686 Summary

• Authorizes the Department of Public Safety, Sheriff Division, to inspect shipping containers at commercial harbors and work sites to detect and confiscate explosives and illegal fireworks, with authority to collaborate with federal, state, and county agencies.

• Establishes a shipping container inspection program using X-ray scanning technology to randomly inspect all incoming containers in Honolulu, prioritizing high-risk shipments while conducting majority of inspections away from ports to minimize commercial delays.

• Imposes shipping container import fees of $1 per container beginning July 1, 2023, increasing to $2 per container beginning July 1, 2024, with all revenues deposited into a special fund to support the inspection program.

• Creates the Shipping Container Inspection Program Special Fund to receive legislative appropriations, gifts and grants, and container import fee revenues for program support and administration, including purchase and maintenance of at least two X-ray scanning portals.

• Increases penalties for fireworks violations by making possession, sale, or discharge of aerial devices without valid permits a class C felony (previously a misdemeanor for amounts under 25 pounds) and raises general fireworks violation fines from $5,000 to $10,000.

• Appropriates $250,000 from general revenues for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 and authorizes equivalent expenditures from the special fund for program establishment and administration.