In one paragraph
Hawaii's Senate Bill 2049 (2026) would have barred law enforcement agencies and officers from using biometric surveillance technology, meaning software that performs facial recognition or other remote biometric recognition, on any person. Exceptions would have covered reasonable suspicion of a crime, executing a judge-authorized warrant based on probable cause that an unidentified or unconfirmed person in an image committed a crime, and emergencies involving immediate danger of death or serious injury. It was referred to committees January 22, 2026 and not enacted.
Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.
What it means for business
None: the bill was not enacted. If enacted, it would have bound law enforcement agencies, not private businesses, and set no penalty.
Key provisions
- Would have prohibited law enforcement agencies and officers from using biometric surveillance technology on any person, subject to three exceptions
- Exceptions: reasonable suspicion the person committed a crime; executing a warrant authorized by a judge based on probable cause that an unidentified or unconfirmed individual in an image has committed a crime; and an emergency involving immediate danger of death or serious physical injury
- 'Facial recognition' would have meant an automated or semi-automated process that assists in identifying or verifying an individual, or analyzes or captures information about them, based on the face, head or body; using search terms to sort images in a database is excluded
- The bill sets no penalty or remedy and covers only law enforcement, not private entities
- Introduced January 21, 2026; referred to PSM/LBT, JDC January 22, 2026; effective upon approval
Latest legislative action
Jan 22, 2026. Referred to PSM/LBT, JDC.
Sponsors (showing 5 of 14)
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| BAKER | Primary |
| CHANG | Primary |
| DECOITE | Primary |
| HARIMOTO | Primary |
| K. RHOADS | Primary |
Topics and industries
Related topics
Affected industries
This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error