HB1639 • 2026

RELATING TO NOTARIES PUBLIC.

Active

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

Sponsor: MATAYOSHI, GRANDINETTI, ILAGAN, KILA, LEE, M., MARTEN, MIYAKE, OLDS, TAM, TARNAS
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: The committee(s) on WAL recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details about automatic foreclosure-related suspensions or specific notification processes for attempted recordings.

Rules for Notaries Public

This bill requires the Bureau of Conveyances to void fraudulent notarized documents and allows property owners to suspend additional recordings on their titles unless given permission.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to void any recorded instrument that was fraudulently notarized when attested to by the purported notary public.
Allows title holders to suspend additional recordings on their title, except liens or judgments against the property or the title holder, until the title holder releases the suspension.

Who It Names or Affects

People who own land or houses
Notaries public
The Bureau of Conveyances

Terms To Know

Bureau of Conveyances: A government office that handles property records.
Fraudulently notarized: When a notary public signs or stamps something falsely, without following the rules.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone tries to record a lien or judgment on a suspended title.
It is unclear how long a property owner can keep their recording suspended.
The exact process for notifying owners about attempted recordings is not detailed.

Bill History

2026-02-03 H
The committee(s) on WAL recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-03-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-20 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO NOTARIES PUBLIC.
Notary Public; Bureau of Conveyances; Fraudulently Notarized Recorded Instruments
Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to void any recorded instrument that was fraudulently notarized when attested to by the purported notary public. Requires the Bureau of Conveyance to allow title holders to suspend additional recordings on their title, unless given prior authorization by the title holder, subject to certain limitations.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1639

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1639

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to notaries public
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 502, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding two new sections to part V to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�502-A
�
Fraudulent notarial
acts voidable.
�
The bureau of conveyances shall void any
recorded deed or interest in real property that contains a fraudulent notarial
act or seal if the purported notary public whose notarial act or seal was
fraudulently used attests to the bureau of conveyances that the notarial act or
seal was fraudulently administered, authorized, or authenticated.

����
�502-B
�
Notice of attempted recording; suspension
of recording.
�
The bureau of conveyances shall allow a
holder of title to real property to suspend the recording of any written instrument
affecting the title, except liens or judgments against the subject real
property or the title holder, until the title holder releases the
suspension.
�
For real property title that
is suspended, the bureau of conveyances shall notify any holder of title to
real property of any attempt to record a written instrument affecting the
title.
�
This suspension shall be lifted
automatically if the real property is foreclosed upon.
"

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 456-26,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
[
[
]
�456-26[
]
]
�
Validity of notarial acts
.
�

Except as otherwise provided in
[
section
]
sections
456-14(b)[
,
]
and 502-A,
t
he
failure of a notary public to perform a duty or meet a requirement specified in
this chapter does not validate or invalidate a notarial act performed by the
notary public.
�
The validity of a
notarial act under this chapter does not prevent an aggrieved person from
seeking to invalidate the document or transaction that is the subject of the
notarial act or from seeking other remedies based on the laws of this State
other than this chapter or based on the laws of the United States.
�
This section shall not be deemed to validate
a purported notarial act performed by a person who does not have the authority
to perform notarial acts.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
In codifying the new sections added by
section 1 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute
appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new
sections in this Act.

����
SECTION 4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Notary Public; Bureau of Conveyances; Fraudulently
Notarized Recorded Instruments

Description:

Requires
the Bureau of Conveyances to void any recorded instrument that was fraudulently
notarized when attested to by the purported notary public.
�
Requires the Bureau of Conveyance to allow
title holders to suspend additional recordings on their title, unless given
prior authorization by the title holder, subject to certain limitations.

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