# Hawaii SB 786: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS.

Hawaii SB 786, RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB786-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 786
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Governor, Judiciary, Counties, OIP, DCAB, Uniform Information Practices Act, Government Records, Conversion to Disability-Accessible Format, Converting Agency, Rules, Appropriations, GVO, WAM/JDC
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires all government records required to be open to public inspection under the Uniform Information Practices Act to be made available in a disability-accessible format upon request. Requires the Governor, Chief Justice, and Mayor of each county to designate at least one agency within their respective government unit as a converting agency responsible for converting government records into a disability-accessible format. Establishes the process by which government records shall be converted into disability-accessible format upon request. Allows the converting agencies to consult with the Disability Communications Access Board. Requires the Office of Information Practices, Judiciary, and each county to adopt rules, regulations, or ordinances, including a provision that extends the time within which an agency must respond to requests for government records by 5 business days for records in disability-accessible formats, with exceptions for records pertaining to board meetings. Appropriates funds.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Carol Fukunaga (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (9)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-02-11: The committee on GVO deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-11-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225. (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)
- 2025-01-28: Re-Referred to GVO, WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to GVO/EIG, WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB786_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB786_.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB786_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB786_.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB786-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).