Bill > SB170

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish an individual's right to own and have exclusive property rights over data they generate on the Internet. Specifically, the proposed amendment would add a new section to Article I of the Hawaii State Constitution guaranteeing that each person shall own the data they create on public networked information systems like the Internet. The legislature would be responsible for determining the specific types of data covered by this provision and establishing the implementation and enforcement mechanisms. If passed, voters would be asked to approve the amendment through a ballot measure that directly asks whether the constitution should guarantee personal data ownership rights. The amendment would take effect after following the state constitutional process for ratification, which involves compliance with Article XVII, Section 3 of the Hawaii State Constitution. This proposed change represents a significant expansion of personal property rights into the digital realm, acknowledging the growing importance of data in the modern information age and seeking to give individuals more control over their digital footprint.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=170&year=2025