The Honolulu City Council, which governs the entire island of Oahu, is considering a bill that would mandate visitors sign a pledge to be considerate and protective of the state's natural resources and communities.
Councilwoman Kymberly Pine introduced Bill 51, which asks tourists to sign a form with a pledge to behave in a certain manner, including with cultural sensitivity and environmental awareness.
The bill would direct the Office of Economic Development or another city agency to help establish the "Keep Hawaii Hawaii" program.
By signing the pledge, which is modeled after similar voluntary initiatives on the Island of Hawaii and Kauai, visitors vow to "respect our agriculture, leave Hawaii and the places you visit the way you found it, not leave trash, not damage our trails or our other natural resources," Pine said, according to the Associated Press.
Every passenger on inbound flights to the islands receives the state Department of Agriculture's Plants and Animals Declaration Form prior to landing. The pledge could be added to the form, Pine said, which is also used to collect basic visitor data, as well.
If the bill were to pass, the Oahu program would be the first in the state to coordinate with a local government agency.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has yet to weigh in on the bill, the Associated Press reported.
In the next step in the process, the council's Business, Economic Development and Tourism Committee is expected to discuss the proposal at an Oct. 22 meeting.