All Roll Calls
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Northern Mariana IslandsSB 24-4824th Northern Mariana Islands Legislature (2025-2026)SenateWALLET
Establish a Division of Customs and Biosecurity within the DOF
Sponsored By: Jude Untalan Hofschneider (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 6 costs, 2 mixed.
Customs officers gain unified enforcement authority
The law combines customs, quarantine, and agricultural quarantine work in the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Finance. The new Division of Customs and Biosecurity has a civil-service director with at least eight years of relevant, increasingly responsible experience. Under the Finance Secretary, the director manages daily work, staff assignments, promotions, and job classifications. Officers have law enforcement status and enforce excise-tax, drug, weapons, customs, animal-health, and applicable federal laws at ports. The director can use other government agencies’ staff and facilities for enforcement.
Port collections stay with customs operations
The Division can collect and keep existing port fines, fees, and penalties to fund its operations and related costs. These collections cannot be moved to other budget purposes. The Division must adopt rules to standardize and regulate collections; this provision sets no new charges or amounts. The Finance Secretary controls spending in consultation with the director or designee. The Secretary must report collections and spending to the Legislature each quarter.
Animal breeding imports need permits and certificates
Animal semen and living animal serum may come only from the continental United States, Hawaii, or Guam. Frozen semen and living animal serum need a quarantine permit from the Commonwealth’s state veterinarian and any certificates it requires. An accredited veterinarian at origin must certify imported semen and donor animals as free of specified venereal and genital diseases. Shipments that fail permit conditions must be refused entry.
Carriers must share records and control transfers
People and authorities holding cargo manifests or aircraft and vessel movement information must provide it to customs and biosecurity officers. Plants, animals, and other materials subject to quarantine must stay aboard during transit stops unless allowed to enter the Commonwealth. Necessary transfers between aircraft or vessels require an officer’s direction and safeguards.
Illegal imports bring seizures and criminal penalties
Knowingly entering to import, arranging another’s import, or hiding prohibited animals, plants, or their parts for import is illegal. Interfering with inspections—including harassment, threats, or bodily harm—is prohibited and can bring criminal and civil penalties. Officers must seize materials brought in or moved locally against biosecurity rules and can destroy, expel, or return them. Importers and consignees owe the removal or disposal expenses; either can owe the full cost, with no stated dollar limit. A person convicted of violating the article or its regulations faces up to six months in prison, a $2,000 fine, or both.
Shippers pay for pest and waste controls
Vessels and aircraft reasonably suspected of carrying agricultural pests must receive treatment ordered by officers. A certified Northern Mariana Islands applicator performs treatment, an officer monitors it, and the importer or consignee pays. Garbage must stay aboard or be incinerated at a federally approved facility under officer supervision. Garbage must use tight, leakproof containers; unloaded garbage must reach an approved disposal facility under officer supervision. The Division can charge disposal fees, but the law sets no dollar amount.
Travelers and shippers face biosecurity inspections
Animals, plants, and their parts entering or moving within the Commonwealth are subject to inspection, including seeds, fruits, vegetables, and cuttings. Officers can refuse entry or movement when disease or pests are known or suspected. Aircraft, vessels, baggage, cargo, stores, and ballast are also subject to inspection; military inspections remain subject to military security rules. Domestic and wild animals need Division inspection and an Animal Health and Industry entry permit, with an animal-health representative joining when necessary. Refusing or interfering with an authorized inspection can bring criminal and civil penalties.
Meat importers face source and paperwork limits
Covered meat and carcasses, including poultry and processed meat, must come from the continental United States, Hawaii, Guam, or federally authorized places. Meat and poultry allowed entry must meet applicable federal inspection laws. Processed meat needs proof of origin, such as invoices or sales slips showing purchase amounts and dates. Applicable rules also require packaging and certificates for covered dried or cured meat and animal products. Listed products—including trophies, hides, organs, dairy products, biological materials, straw, hay, and grass—must follow applicable federal animal-health rules.
Transferred staff use customs pay scales
Staff transferred under Executive Order 2021-009 receive pay on Customs Services scales. Transferred employees keep their civil-service or exempt status. The law gives no salary amounts or comparison with their earlier pay.
Emergency quarantine powers have review deadlines
The director manages plant and animal quarantines and can issue rules to enforce them. Emergency domestic-quarantine orders cannot conflict with existing controls or rules. Officers or the director can take emergency steps when existing rules leave a gap or immediate action is needed. These powers protect against pests and disease but can restrict affected people and businesses. The director must review each emergency measure and add it to regulations or cancel it within 30 days, sooner when practical.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Jude Untalan Hofschneider
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 7/28/2026
House Final Reading — Passed
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/1/2026
Senate Final Reading — Passed
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/1/2026
Senate Final Reading — Passed
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
PL 24-36
8/6/2026SenateHouse Final Reading — Passed
7/28/2026HouseHouse First Reading — Passed
7/28/2026HouseHouse Report Action — Approved
7/28/2026HouseSenate Final Reading — Passed
5/1/2026SenateSenate First Reading — Passed
5/1/2026SenateSenate Report Action — Approved
5/1/2026SenateIntroduced
9/30/2025Senate
Bill Text
24-48
9/30/2025
PL 24-36
9/30/2025
SCR 24-60
9/30/2025
SCR 24-78
9/30/2025
Related Bills
HB 24-108, To provide a Budget Plan of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for Fiscal Year 2027 and make appropriations for the operations and activities of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, its agencies, instrumentalities, and independent programs, and to provide budget authority for government corporations; and for other purposes.
HB 24-84, To authorize the expenditure of $2,105,563.00 identified by the Governor as a surplus from Fiscal Year 2025 revenues that shall be appropriated by the Legislature to the Public School System and to the 25% Retirees’ Pension Obligation.
HB 24-74, To appropriate funds derived from trust interest income from the Marianas Public Land Trust towards payment of household allotments of Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) benefits for November 2025.
HB 24-63, To amend Title 4 sections 1991 to 1995 relating to the 3% construction tax on gross revenues derived from certain non-residential construction projects and to enact a new section 1996 pertaining to Applicability; and for other purposes.
SB 24-04, to advance Chamorro & Carolinian language education in the CNMI
HB 24-13, To amend the fee structure for the Office of the Registrar of Corporations under the Department of Commerce and to remove daily penalty fees.