Bill > HB2499

This bill requires the Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) to create and maintain statewide standards for how state and county departments, agencies, boards, and commissions collect, manage, and report race and ethnicity data, ensuring these standards align with federal guidelines, particularly the U.S. Office of Management and Budget's Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (2024), while also allowing for Hawaii's specific needs and system limitations. Any collected demographic data used in artificial intelligence (AI) systems must undergo bias testing, ongoing fairness monitoring, have plain-language descriptions of its use made public, and adhere to all privacy laws, with the data's use strictly limited to public interest purposes like health equity, language access, and civil rights enforcement, while personal identifying information remains confidential. State and county entities collecting this data must report to ETS on their compliance with federal requirements, and ETS will provide technical assistance and may grant exceptions for compliance if departments demonstrate constraints. The bill also appropriates funds for ETS to carry out these responsibilities and takes effect on July 1, 2026.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2499&year=2026