A little-noticed provision in the massive immigration reform package proposed yesterday by a bi-partisan group of senators are provisions pushed by Sen. Mazie Hirono that would allow snowbirds from Canada living in Hawaii to stay longer without renewing their visas.

The provision is a relatively minor portion of the historic and sweeping bill that provides a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants. Still Hirono’s office said it would make it easier for tourists to visit the state.

Also included was another provision in the VISIT USA act Hirono sponsored when she was in the House that would ease visa requirements for foreign visitors visiting the United States. A Hirono spokesman said the senator would further try to amend the immigration package to increase the length of visas for Chinese visitors from one to five years.

Under what’s in the immigration bill, Canadian citizens older than 50 years old who own or rent accommodations in the U.S. would be able to stay 240 days under their tourist visas. They can now only stay 180 days.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, a member of the bipartisan Group of Eight that wrote the immigration bill, credited Hirono in a statement, saying, “Sen. Hirono has been a leader in pushing smart foreign visitor visa reforms that create jobs and encourage foreign tourism.”

—Kery Murakami