HB 2597 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Summary

Requires the Chief Data Officer to enhance the State's open data portal website through the phased development and publishing of an artificial intelligence chatbot and necessary data visualizations on statewide shared data sets to assist the public. Requires the Chief Data Officer to develop a system to evaluate and select artificial intelligence governance tools for use by state departments and agencies and establish a mechanism for reporting and publication of artificial intelligence use cases and artificial intelligence vendors used by the departments and agencies. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 28, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2597_HD1 → HB2597_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to transition from the House version to the Senate version, updating the effective date from the distant year 3000 to January 1, 2077. The Senate version also adjusted the scope of the artificial intelligence chatbot requirement to specifically apply only to departments that choose to deploy one, rather than mandating it for all. Additionally, the bill now explicitly includes the University of Hawaii alongside the Department of Education in data-sharing requirements and updated the names of specific committee members.

Scope change

The requirement to utilize an artificial intelligence chatbot is now limited to state departments and agencies that actually deploy a chatbot, rather than applying universally to all agencies.

TIMELINE

The bill's effective date was changed from July 1, 3000, to January 1, 2077.

REQUIREMENT

The mandate to use an AI chatbot was narrowed to apply only to departments and agencies that deploy one, rather than all agencies.

SCOPE

The University of Hawaii was explicitly included in the list of entities required to share data sets with the public.

TECHNICAL

The names of specific committee members were updated to reflect the Senate version, and some text was capitalized for consistency.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from LBT/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3358) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Hashimoto, Moriwaki, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara.

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT/GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 03-25-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to LBT/GVO, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 123).

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Garcia, Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 297-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 6

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

21 primary · 0 co-sponsors