Hawaii · AI compliance plan
What Hawaii’s AI laws require of you.
Hawaii has 7 enacted AI laws in our records. We have mapped 5 of them duty by duty: 15 duties in all, each with who it falls on, when it starts and the section of law it comes from. The next one starts January 1, 2028.
The plan at a glance
Pro turns this plan into a spreadsheet for audit files and a calendar of every start date. The plan on this page stays open to everyone.
Already in effect 14 duties
These duties are in force today.
| Starts | Law | Who | What it requires | How often | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2020 | Hawaii autonomous vehicles testing pilot program (HB 2590, Act 21 of 2020) | Entity testing autonomous vehicles | Keep a conventional human driver physically present in the autonomous vehicle at all times during testing, able to intervene, supervise or prevent a collision.Applies when: Testing an autonomous vehicle on a public road in Hawaii under the Department of Transportation pilot program. | Ongoing | Act 21 (2020), sec. 1(b) |
| June 23, 2021 | Hawaii crime of creating or sharing sexual deep fakes of a known person (SB 309, Act 59 of 2021) | Person | Do not intentionally create, disclose or threaten to disclose a nude or sexual image of a fictional person showing a known person's recognizable features, intending substantial harm or revenge.Applies when: Covers images and videos. The intended harm is to the depicted person's health, safety, business, career, education, finances, reputation or relationships, or the act is revenge or retribution. | Ongoing | HRS 711-1110.9(1)(c) |
| July 3, 2024 | Hawaii ban on reckless distribution of materially deceptive election media (SB 2687, Act 191 of 2024) | Person | Do not recklessly distribute materially deceptive media in reckless disregard of the risk of harming a candidate's reputation or prospects, or of changing voters' behavior.Applies when: From the first working day of February in even-numbered years through the next general election. | Ongoing | HRS 11-303(a) |
| July 3, 2024 | Hawaii ban on reckless distribution of materially deceptive election media (SB 2687, Act 191 of 2024) | Person | To use the disclaimer exception, state the media was manipulated by technical means, in the size, placement and language required, and cite original sources of edited media.Applies when: Video: throughout, as large as the largest text. Image: readable, as large as the largest text. Audio only: spoken at the start and end. | Each time it happens | HRS 11-303(c)(1)-(4) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii AI digital imitation and personal likeness protections (HB 2137, Act 247) | Person | Do not knowingly publish a realistic AI digital imitation of an identifiable person without express written consent in an advertisement, when it causes harm, or for fraud, defamation or harassment.Applies when: Any one trigger applies: use with an advertisement, resulting harm, or use to commit fraud, defamation, harassment or another criminal act. Exempt expressive, news and documentary uses are excluded. | Ongoing | Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -2, § -3) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Issue a clear and conspicuous notification that the AI companion is artificial intelligence and not human.Applies when: A reasonable person interacting with the AI companion would be led to believe they are interacting with a human. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (a) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Disclose to a minor that they are interacting with AI, by a persistent visible disclaimer, or at each session's start and at least hourly with a break reminder.Applies when: The operator has actual knowledge or reasonable certainty that the user is a minor. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (b) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Adopt a protocol for responding to prompts about suicidal ideation or self-harm, including reasonable efforts to refer the user to crisis services, and use evidence-based methods to measure that risk.Applies when: Any AI companion made available to the public. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (c)(1), (2) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Do not cause or program the AI companion to make a statement indicating it is designed to provide professional mental or behavioral health care.Applies when: Any AI companion made available to the public. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (c)(3) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Institute reasonable measures to prevent statements that would lead a reasonable person to believe they are interacting with a human.Applies when: The user is seeking or receiving crisis intervention for self-harm or suicide. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (c)(4) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Institute reasonable measures to prevent outputs that encourage the user to cause serious bodily injury to another person.Applies when: Any AI companion made available to the public. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (c)(5) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Do not give points or similar rewards at unpredictable intervals to increase engagement, and do not allow outputs that discourage disengagement.Applies when: The operator knows or has reasonable certainty that the user is a minor. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (d)(1), (2) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Institute reasonable measures to prevent sexually explicit visual material, direct statements that the user should engage in sexually explicit conduct, and statements that sexually objectify the user.Applies when: The operator knows or has reasonable certainty that the user is a minor. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (d)(3) |
| July 14, 2026 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Make tools available to users and their parents or guardians to manage the user's screen time and account settings.Applies when: The operator knows or has reasonable certainty that the user is a minor. | Ongoing | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (d)(4) |
Starting later 1 duty
Dates further out, in order.
| Starts | Law | Who | What it requires | How often | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2028 | Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248) | Operator | Submit an annual report to the Department of Health's behavioral health administration with the prior calendar year's crisis referral count and its suicide and self-harm protocols, without user identifiers.Applies when: Beginning January 1, 2028; no due date within the year is stated. | Every year | Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (e) |
Law by law
Who each law covers, who enforces it, the penalties, whether people can sue and what the text leaves open. Open a law to see it; every line cites its section.
Hawaii AI digital imitation and personal likeness protections (HB 2137, Act 247)
1 duty · checked November 15, 2026
Act 247, Session Laws of Hawaii 2026 (HB 2137 HD3 SD2 CD1), approved July 14, 2026; adds a new HRS chapter, Artificial Intelligence; Digital Imitation; Personal Likeness; Protections (chapter number to be assigned). Official text · Full law page
Who it covers
- Person. Any person who knowingly publishes a realistic AI-generated digital imitation of an identifiable individual. Act 247, sec. 2 (new chapter § -2)
Enforcement
- Enforcer: The depicted individual or their estate, by civil action; the attorney general may seek injunctive or equitable relief where distribution involves broad public interest or widespread harm. A web search on November 15, 2026 found no court challenge.
- Penalty: Up to $25,000 per advertisement, or actual damages, plus punitive damages where malice is proven, and attorneys' fees and costs, publishing a digital imitation in violation of § -2, in a civil action. Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -4(b))
- Penalty: Injunction, including an order to remove or stop distribution, a violation of § -2. Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -4(b)(1), (c))
- Can people sue? Yes Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -4(a)) (the individual, or the estate for up to ten years after death; the chapter 657 limitation period is not extended)
- Time to fix before enforcement: None
Exemptions
- Parody, satire, commentary, criticism, scholarship, and political or educational expression. Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -3(1))
- News reporting illustrating a story; documentary, historical or biographical portrayals, including some fictionalization; and ads for those works if the imitation is relevant to them. Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -3(2)-(4))
- Media that only publish third-party content (such as newspapers, TV, streaming, cable and transit ads), for that publishing role only; the underlying conduct is not exempt. Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -5(b))
- The chapter neither limits nor expands 47 U.S.C. 230 protection for interactive computer services. Act 247, sec. 2 (§ -5(c))
What the text leaves open
- The text does not say how the per-advertisement damages cap applies when the violation does not involve an advertisement.
- The act calls the conduct unlawful but sets no criminal penalty.
- The HRS chapter number for the new chapter was not assigned in the text read.
Hawaii Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act (SB 3001, Act 248)
10 duties · checked November 12, 2026
S.B. 3001, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1 (2026), Act 248, Session Laws of Hawaii 2026; adds a new section to part I of HRS chapter 481B (section number not yet assigned in the text read). Official text · Full law page
Who it covers
- Operator. A person who develops and makes an AI companion available to the public. An app store or search engine that merely provides access to an AI companion is not, by that alone, an operator. Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (i)
Enforcement
- Enforcer: Not named in the new section. A violation is an unfair or deceptive act or practice under HRS 480-2; HRS 480-3.1 lets the attorney general or the director of the office of consumer protection sue for civil penalties for violating HRS 480-2.
- Penalty: $500 to $10,000 for each violation; each day of violation is a separate violation, civil penalty under HRS 480-3.1 for violating HRS 480-2, collected in a civil action by the attorney general or the director of the office of consumer protection. The Act itself states no amount. HRS 480-3.1; Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (f)
- Can people sue? No Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (f)
- Time to fix before enforcement: The law does not say
Exemptions
- A mobile application store or search engine that merely provides access to an AI companion is not an operator by that alone. Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (i)
- The developer of an AI model is not liable for violations by an AI system that a third party developed to provide an AI companion. Act 248 (2026) § 3, new HRS § 481B- , subsection (g)
What the text leaves open
- The new section has no HRS number in the text read; the codified section number was not checked.
- HRS 480-2 itself and other chapter 480 remedies (such as injunctions) were not opened; only the civil penalty in HRS 480-3.1 was read.
- The Act takes effect on approval with no transition period for the disclosure, protocol and minor-protection duties.
- The Act does not require age verification; minor-specific duties turn on actual knowledge or reasonable certainty, which is not defined.
- Subsection (g) uses developer, which is not defined, while operator is defined as a person who develops and makes an AI companion available.
Hawaii autonomous vehicles testing pilot program (HB 2590, Act 21 of 2020)
1 duty · checked November 15, 2026
Act 21, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020 (HB 2590 HD2 SD2), approved September 15, 2020; session law, not codified in the HRS. Official text · Full law page
Who it covers
- Entity testing autonomous vehicles. An entity the Department of Transportation allows to test autonomous vehicles on public roads in Hawaii. Act 21 (2020), sec. 1(b), (d)
Enforcement
- Enforcer: Hawaii Department of Transportation, which decides which entities may test. The act names no other enforcer. A web search found no court challenge.
- Penalty: the law does not set an amount.
- Can people sue? The law does not say Act 21 (2020)
- Time to fix before enforcement: The law does not say
Exemptions
- No exemption is stated. Act 21 (2020), sec. 1
What the text leaves open
- The act sets no end date for the pilot program; whether the department still runs it or has adopted rules under section 1(c) was not checked.
- No later Hawaii statute on autonomous vehicles was read, so a later change to these testing terms cannot be ruled out.
Hawaii ban on reckless distribution of materially deceptive election media (SB 2687, Act 191 of 2024)
2 duties · checked November 15, 2026
Act 191, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024 (SB 2687 CD1), approved July 3, 2024; HRS 11-303 and 11-304. Official text · Full law page
Who it covers
- Person. Any person who distributes, or agrees to distribute, materially deceptive media during the election window. HRS 11-303(a)
Enforcement
- Enforcer: Criminal prosecution; the Campaign Spending Commission may assess a fine or refer for prosecution. The attorney general, the commission, county attorneys or prosecutors, depicted individuals, candidates and voter groups may seek injunctions. A federal court ruled the act unconstitutional on January 30, 2026; see open questions.
- Penalty: Petty misdemeanor: up to 30 days in jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both, a violation of HRS 11-303. HRS 11-303(d); 706-663; 706-640(1)(e); 706-605(1)
- Penalty: Misdemeanor: up to 1 year in jail, a fine up to $2,000, or both, a violation within five years of a prior conviction. HRS 11-303(e); 706-663; 706-640(1)(d); 706-605(1)
- Penalty: Class C felony: up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $10,000, or both, a violation committed with intent to cause violence or bodily harm. HRS 11-303(f); 706-660(1)(b); 706-640(1)(c); 706-605(1)
- Penalty: Commission fine (amount not stated in 11-303), assessed by the Campaign Spending Commission under part XIII, subpart I. HRS 11-303(g)
- Penalty: General or special damages, attorneys' fees and costs; civil fine up to $1,000 per day for violating an injunction, civil actions under HRS 11-304. HRS 11-304(a), (b)
- Can people sue? Yes HRS 11-304(a), (b) (depicted individuals, candidates and organizations representing voters likely to be deceived)
- Time to fix before enforcement: None
Exemptions
- Broadcasters, cable operators and direct-to-home satellite providers, unless involved in creating the media. HRS 11-303(b)(1)
- Interactive computer services, cloud service providers, streaming services and technology developers, unless they know the content is deceptive and intend to deceive a Hawaii resident. HRS 11-303(b)(2)
- Media with a disclaimer that it was manipulated by technical means and shows appearance, speech or conduct that did not occur, in the format set for each medium. HRS 11-303(c)
What the text leaves open
- Court status: on January 30, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii (The Babylon Bee, LLC v. Lopez, Civ. No. 25-00234 SASP-KJM) reportedly granted summary judgment and permanently enjoined the Attorney General and Campaign Spending Commission from enforcing Act 191. Only a copy posted by the plaintiffs' lawyers was found; the court's own copy (govinfo.gov) could not be opened, so no court_block is recorded. Readers should treat these duties as likely unenforceable by those officials.
- Whether the injunction binds county prosecutors and private plaintiffs, and whether Hawaii appealed, was not confirmed.
- The amount of a Campaign Spending Commission fine under part XIII, subpart I was not read.
Hawaii crime of creating or sharing sexual deep fakes of a known person (SB 309, Act 59 of 2021)
1 duty · checked November 15, 2026
Act 59, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021 (SB 309 CD1), dated June 23, 2021; HRS 711-1110.9(1)(c). Official text · Full law page
Who it covers
- Person. Any person who creates, discloses or threatens to disclose a sexual image or video of a composite fictitious person resembling a known person. HRS 711-1110.9(1)(c)
Enforcement
- Enforcer: Criminal prosecution; the section does not name the prosecuting office. A web search on November 15, 2026 found no court challenge.
- Penalty: Class C felony: up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $10,000, or both, violation of privacy in the first degree. HRS 711-1110.9(4); 706-660(1)(b); 706-640(1)(c); 706-605(1)
- Penalty: Court may order the recording destroyed; undestroyed images are sealed, any recording or image made or disclosed in violation. HRS 711-1110.9(4), (5)
- Can people sue? The law does not say HRS 711-1110.9 (criminal offense only)
- Time to fix before enforcement: None
Exemptions
- Conduct in the execution of a public duty or as authorized by law. HRS 711-1110.9(1) (opening words)
- Providers of electronic communication or remote computing services (HRS 803-41) are not liable for images or video another person disclosed through the service. HRS 711-1110.9(3)
- The public-nudity and commercial-transaction exemptions in subsection (2) do not apply to the deep fake offense. HRS 711-1110.9(2)
What the text leaves open
- The statute does not define composite fictitious person or mention AI; how it applies to edited real photos of a known person was not determined.
Other enacted laws to check
These 2 enacted AI laws are in the states you chose, but they are not yet mapped duty by duty, so they are not in the plan above. Each page has a summary and the official source.
- Hawaii HB1231: Relating To Traffic Safety. (effective June 25, 2025)
- Hawaii SB2284: Relating To A Wildfire Forecast System For Hawaii. (effective July 1, 2024)
How the plan is built
Each law in the plan was read from its official text, on the legislature’s or state’s own website. 265 of the 326 have also been read a second time to confirm every date, threshold, penalty and enforcer; the rest have had one full read, and each shows the date it was last checked. Each duty is written in plain English in 30 words or fewer and carries the section it comes from, with a link.
Where a law is silent, the plan says so. It does not borrow a penalty from another statute or guess at a deadline. A law that is repealed or replaced on a known date shows that end date, and its duties leave the plan once the date passes. The date each law was last checked appears with it.
The plan is built fresh from these records every time the page loads, so it changes as soon as a law is added or re-checked. To report an error, use the corrections page. For how we find laws and decide what counts as an AI law, see our methodology. If you are not sure which laws touch your business at all, start with Am I Affected?
Common questions
What does an AI compliance plan cover?
Each duty an enacted state AI law places on a business or other regulated party: who it applies to, what it requires, when it starts, how often it recurs, who enforces it, the penalties and whether people can sue. The builder covers 1,235 duties in 326 enacted laws across 50 states, and every duty links to the section of law it comes from.
Where does the information come from?
From the official text of each law: the enrolled bill, session law or codified statute, opened on the legislature's or state's own website. 265 of the 326 laws have also been read a second time to confirm every date, threshold, penalty and enforcer, and the date each law was last checked is shown with it. Where a law is silent on a point, such as a penalty amount, the plan says the law does not say rather than filling the gap. Law firm summaries and news reports are never used as sources.
Does the plan include every AI law in a state?
Not yet. It includes the enacted laws we have mapped duty by duty. When you choose a state, its other enacted AI laws are listed separately with links, so nothing is left out of view. New laws are added as they are read. When a law is repealed or replaced on a set date, its duties show that end date and leave the plan once it passes.
How do I know which duties apply to my company?
Start with the 'who it covers' entry for each law: many apply only above a size or revenue threshold, only to developers or only to deployers, or only in one industry. The plan quotes those conditions from the text. Whether your company meets them depends on facts only you and your counsel know.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is information drawn from official legal texts, organized so you can see what each law requires. Use it to brief your team and your lawyers, not in place of them.
What does Pro add?
The same plan as a CSV file for spreadsheets and audit files, and as a calendar file (.ics) with every dated duty as an event that links back to the law. Both are built from the states and uses you pick. The plan on this page, and printing it, are open to everyone.