STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1589-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2145

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2145 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RECORDINGS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish:

(1) The right of a person to record law enforcement activities; and

(2) A private right of action for any violation of the right to record law enforcement activities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Imua Alliance; UNITE HERE Local 5; Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Libertarian Party of Hawaii; Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association; Roots Reborn; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai'i; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that the ability of the public to record law enforcement activities is a critical safeguard that promotes transparency, accountability, and public confidence in policing. Your Committee further finds that individuals have faced situations in which their attempts to record law enforcement activities were hindered or interfered with, underscoring the need to clearly establish this right in statute and provide remedies for unlawful interference.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2145, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2145, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair