# Hawaii SB 1255: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS.

Hawaii SB 1255, RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic); status in committee, last action 2025-02-26 (The committee on JDC deferred the measure.) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1255-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 1255
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS.
- Status: in committee
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-02-26, The committee on JDC deferred the measure.
- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: UIPA, Transparency, Government Records, Government Function Contracts, Contractors, Record Retention and Access Requirements, Public Access, GVO, JDC
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Amends the Uniform Information Practices Act to require each contract to perform a government function to expressly require the contractor to retain records in accordance with the retention schedule of the agency and provide the agency with access to all records subject to the Uniform Information Practices Act; define "government function" and "trade secret"; clarify that "government record" includes information that is created, received, maintained, or used by a private person in performance of a government function contract; and prohibit agencies from denying a request for access to records of a contractor used in the performance of a government function on the basis of trade secret or other proprietary information. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lynn DeCoite (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kurt Fevella (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (11)

- 2025-02-26: The committee on JDC deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 02-26-25 9:59AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-21-25 10:20AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 321) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-06-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225. (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-25 3:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to GVO, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_SD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_.PDF)
- SB1255_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_SD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_SD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_.PDF)
- [SB1255_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1255_SD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1255-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).