HB642 • 2026

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.

Active

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

Sponsor: MARTEN, CHUN, KILA, LAMOSAO, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAM, TARNAS, TODD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance.

Making State Rules Easy to Find Online

This bill requires all state agencies in Hawaii to post their rules online in a format that people can easily search and read on the Lieutenant Governor's website.

What This Bill Does

Requires state agencies to make available on the Lieutenant Governor’s website the full text of proposed, adopted, amended, or repealed rules in a digitally accessible and searchable format.

Who It Names or Affects

State agencies in Hawaii
People who use the Lieutenant Governor's website

Terms To Know

Digitally Accessible and Searchable Format: A way of organizing information online so that it can be easily found by search engines and read on different devices.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if an agency fails to comply with the requirements.
It is unclear how this will affect county agencies, as only state agencies are mentioned in the summary text.
The effective date of July 1, 3000 seems unrealistic and likely indicates a placeholder or error.

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 state agencies to make proposed rules and changes available online in a searchable format starting from July 1, 3000.

State agencies must provide the full text of their proposed rules or rule changes on the Lieutenant Governor's website in a digitally accessible and searchable format.
The amendment also requires state agencies to post the full text of existing rules on the Lieutenant Governor's website in a searchable format.

The effective date of July 1, 3000 seems unusually far into the future and may be an error or placeholder that needs clarification.
Details about how the digital accessibility and searchability will be implemented are not provided.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-14 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 743) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-13 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
2025-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-13-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.
Administrative Rules; Rulemaking; Agencies; Digital Accessibility; Searchability; Formatting
Requires all state agencies proposing, adopting, amending, or repealing a rule to make the full text of the rules of the agency available on the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in a digitally accessible and searchable format. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB642

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

642

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to administrative rules.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 91-2.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"
(a)
�
Beginning January 1, 2000, all state
agencies, through the office of the lieutenant governor, shall make available
on the website of the office of the lieutenant governor each proposed
rulemaking action of the agency and the full text of the agency's proposed
rules or changes to existing rules.
�
The
full text of the agency's proposed rules shall be in a digitally accessible and
searchable format.
�
The internet
website shall provide instructions regarding how to download the information
regarding proposed rulemaking actions and the full text of the agency's
proposed rules."

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 91-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�

Each agency adopting, amending, or repealing a rule, upon approval [
thereof
]
by the governor or the mayor of the county, shall file [
forthwith
]
certified copies [
thereof
]
of the rules
with the lieutenant
governor in the case of the State, or with the clerk of the county in the case
of a county.
�
In addition, the clerks of
all of the counties shall file [
forthwith
] certified copies [
thereof
]

of the rules
with the lieutenant governor.
�
A permanent register of the rules, open to
public inspection, shall be kept by the lieutenant governor and the clerks of
the counties.
�
All state agencies,
through the office of the lieutenant governor, shall make available on the
website of the office of the lieutenant governor the full text of the rules of
the agency in a digitally accessible and searchable format.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

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

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Administrative
Rules; Rulemaking; Agencies; Digital Accessibility; Searchability; Formatting

Description:

Requires all state agencies adopting, amending, or
repealing a rule to make the full text of the rules of the agency available on
the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in a digitally accessible
and searchable format.

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