Bill > HB463

This bill requires the Hawaii Judiciary to conduct a comprehensive study on the potential implementation of a system that would allow residential tenants to have their names disassociated from eviction court records under specific circumstances. The study will explore various scenarios where a tenant could have their eviction record removed, such as when a case is dismissed, all parties agree to disassociation, or when the eviction involves special circumstances like low-income housing, domestic violence, discrimination, or small monetary judgments. The Judiciary must investigate the technical feasibility of modifying their information management system to remove a tenant's name from publicly accessible electronic databases, assess potential impacts on system functions, and determine whether such modifications would apply prospectively. The bill mandates that the Judiciary submit a detailed report with findings and recommendations to the legislature twenty days before the 2026 legislative session, and includes an appropriation of funds to support the study. The bill recognizes the significant barriers that eviction records can create for tenants, even when the eviction proceedings do not result in a judgment against the tenant, and seeks to explore ways to mitigate these long-term negative consequences.

Business and Industry, Housing and Urban Affairs, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=463&year=2026