STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2299

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2569

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2569 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIFORM PROBATE CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide for the temporary sealing of certain medical records and professional evaluations filed in guardianship and conservatorship proceedings pending a judicial determination on the need for continued sealing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that guardianship and conservatorship proceedings under chapter 560, Hawaii Revised Statutes, involve matters of a sensitive and private nature for individuals whose capacity or incapacity becomes the subject of those court proceedings. Your Committee further finds that court records and judicial proceedings are presumptively open to the public unless a compelling reason exists to restrict public access. This measure amends the procedure for sealing documents filed in guardianship and conservatorship proceedings to better protect an individual's right to privacy.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2569 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair