THE SENATE

KA ‘AHA KENEKOA

 

INTERIM OF 2025

 

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, Chair

Senator Carol Fukunaga, Vice Chair

 

 

NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING

 

DATE:

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

TIME:

9:30AM

PLACE:

Conference Room 229

& Videoconference

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL

BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY

 

A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.

 

 

A G E N D A

 

Conversational AI Chatbots is an AI technology increasing in popularity where users can communicate with AI simulating human conversation. There have been reported cases of adults and minors using AI chatbots for companionship and mental health advice, which can result in the Chatbot encouraging self-harm and isolation. This briefing will provide an overview of the effects of Conversational AI Chatbots on children and what measures can be taken to protect users from the influence of Chatbots. Presentations will be delivered by the organizations listed below, followed by a Q&A. Attached is a real transcript of a character.ai chatbot conversation with an anonymous 12-year-old.

 

  1. Educational Technologist – Justin Lai
  2. Department of Education – Heidi Armstrong, Deputy Superintendent of Academics
  3. Governor’s Office of Wellness and Resilience – Dr. Trina Orimoto, Deputy Director
  4. Department of the Attorney General – Chelsea Okamoto, Deputy Attorney General
  5. Q&A

Briefing Materials

 

No public testimony will be accepted.

 

For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email CPNcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

 

FOR AMENDED NOTICES:  Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored.  If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT (808)-587-7215.

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________

Senator Jarrett Keohokalole

Chair

 

 

_____________________________________

Senator Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate