HB 1935: Personal Information; Covered Public Servants; Candidates; Home Address; Removal

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1935
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to personal information.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the safety of public servants and candidates for public office is essential to the functioning of a democratic society.  In recent years, threats, harassment, and acts of violence directed at public officials and their families have increased nationwide, often facilitated by the easy public availability of personal identifying information, such as home addresses.

     The legislature further finds that the targeted assassination of Melissa Hortman and her husband underscore the real and grave dangers posed when malicious actors are able to locate and target public servants at their homes.  Such acts of violence not only endanger the lives of those who serve, but also chill civic participation and deter qualified individuals from seeking or continuing public service.

     The legislature recognizes the need to balance transparency in government with the fundamental right to personal safety.  By establishing a process to obtain such information, it protects public officials, candidates, and their families from harm, while maintaining government transparency.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to limit public access to the home addresses of public servants and candidates by establishing procedures for redaction and disclosure, and providing a mechanism for objection when disclosure would place individuals or their families in imminent danger.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 92H, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§92H-     Home address; removal.  (a)  Every government agency that maintains, uses, collects, or possesses the home address of a covered public servant or candidate shall ensure that the home address is not publicly accessible.

     (b)  Each government agency shall redact or otherwise remove home addresses from:

     (1)  The agency's website;

     (2)  Online searchable databases of the agency;

     (3)  Printed documents or publications that are made publicly available by the agency; and

     (4)  Any other publicly accessible source of information.

     §92H-     Requests for disclosure; home address; notification; objection to disclosure.  (a)  An individual may submit a request to an agency for the home address of a covered public servant or candidate; provided that the agency shall first:

     (1)  Notify the covered public servant or candidate of the request;

     (2)  Provide the name, mailing address, telephone number, and electronic mailing address of the individual requesting the information; and

     (3)  Provide a copy of the request.

     (b)  A covered public servant or candidate may object to the disclosure of their home address by submitting an objection to the government agency within      business days of receiving notice under subsection (a).  An objection shall include a statement that disclosure of the covered public servant or candidate's home address would place them, a household member, or their property in imminent danger.  If no objection is received within the time allotted under this section, the government agency may disclose the information.

     (c)  For purposes of this section, "candidate" has the same meaning as in section 11-302."

     SECTION 3.  Section 92H-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "covered public servant" to read as follows:

     ""Covered public servant" means:

    [(1)  The governor;

     (2)  The lieutenant governor;

     (3)  The administrative director appointed pursuant to section 26-3;

     (4)  Any head of a department established under section 26-4;

     (5)  Any member of the legislature;]

     (1)  An employee, appointed official, or elected official of the State or a county, including all permanent and temporary employees of the state executive, legislative, and judicial branches and their respective government agencies, and any volunteer of the office of elections;

    [(6)] (2)  Any active, formerly active, or retired:

          (A)  Justice of the Hawaii supreme court;

          (B)  Judge of the Hawaii intermediate appellate court;

          (C)  Judge of a Hawaii circuit court or circuit family court;

          (D)  Judge of a Hawaii district court or district family court; or

          (E)  Per diem judge of a Hawaii district court or district family court; and

    [(7)] (3)  Any active, formerly active, or retired:

          (A)  Justice of the United States Supreme Court;

          (B)  Judge of the United States Court of Appeals;

          (C)  Judge or magistrate judge of the United States District Court; or

          (D)  Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court,

          who resides in the State, formerly resided in the State while serving as a federal judge, or owns real property in the State[;

     (8)  The administrative director of the courts;

     (9)  The deputy administrative director of the courts;

    (10)  Any employee or volunteer of the office of elections; or

    (11)  Any person designated for good cause by the governor, president of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, chief justice, chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, or chairperson of the office of Hawaiian affairs in the designator's respective body]."

     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:

Personal Information; Covered Public Servants; Candidates; Home Address; Removal

 

Description:

Requires every government agency that maintains, uses, collects or processes the home address of a covered public servant or candidate, to ensure that their home address is not publicly accessible.  Requires every government agency to redact or otherwise remove home addresses from certain websites, databases, and printed documents or publications.  Authorizes an individual to request disclosure of the home address, under certain circumstances.  Allows a covered public servant or candidate to object to the disclosure of their home address.

 

 

 

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