HB1521 • 2026

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: TARNAS, AMATO, GARRETT, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, LOWEN, MARTEN, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA
Last action: 2026-02-10
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting no (2) and none excused (0).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effective date is listed as July 1, 3000, which seems like a placeholder. The actual effective date may be different.

Government Contracts: Record Keeping

This bill requires contractors performing government functions to keep records related to their work and give agencies access to these records, treating them as public records under Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act.

What This Bill Does

Requires private companies that do work for the government to save all documents about their tasks.
Allows government agencies to see these saved documents when they ask for them.
Makes sure these documents are treated like official government records, which means people can request to see them under Hawaii's public records law.

Who It Names or Affects

Government agencies that hire private contractors
Private companies that work for the government

Terms To Know

Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA): A law in Hawaii that allows people to request and see public records from government agencies.
Government function: Services, programs, or activities that a government agency is legally allowed or required to do.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not change any rights or duties that already existed before it was approved.
It only affects contracts made after the effective date of July 1, 3000 (likely a placeholder for an actual future date).

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires contractors performing government functions to keep records related to their work and give agencies access to these records, treating them as official government documents under Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act.

Contractors must retain all records related to the performance of an agency function.
Agencies can request and receive access to these contractor-held records.
These records are considered government records for legal purposes.

The amendment specifies that it will take effect on July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder or error.

Bill History

2026-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting no (2) and none excused (0).
2026-02-09 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 101-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-03 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-14 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
UIPA; Government Contracts; Contractors; Public Records
Requires contractors performing an agency function to retain records related to the performance of that function and provide agencies with access to those records. Deems the records to be government records under the Uniform Information Practices Act. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1521

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1521

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to government contracts
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that transparency and
accountability in government operations are fundamental to public trust.
�
The legislature also finds that public
agencies in the State increasingly rely on private contractors to perform
government functions, including creating, maintaining, or using records
critical to public oversight.
�
The
legislature believes it is critical to prevent the circumvention of public
agencies' transparency obligations through the outsourcing of their government
functions by ensuring that these records remain accessible under chapter 92F,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, or more commonly known as Hawaii's Uniform Information
Practices Act.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to clarify that records created, received, maintained, or used by private
contractors performing government functions on behalf of public agencies are
subject to Hawaii's public records law.

����
SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 92F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�92F-
�
Government contracts.
�
(a)
�

A contract with an agency to perform a government function shall require
the contractor to:

����
(1)
�
Retain all
records related to the performance of that function, following the agency's
records retention schedule; and

����
(2)
�
Provide the
agency with access to those records upon request.

����
(b)
�
All records retained by a contractor pursuant
to this section shall be deemed government records for purposes of this part.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
Section 92F-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as
follows:

����
"
"Government function"
means a service, program, or activity that an agency is authorized or required
by law to perform.
"

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
SECTION 5.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Government
Contracts; Contractors; Public Records

Description:

Clarifies
that records created, received, maintained, or used by private contractors
performing government functions on behalf of public agencies shall be subject
to the Uniform Information Practices Act.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.