Skip to content

Session Expired

Your session has expired. Please sign in again to continue where you left off.

Sign In Again

HI SB2396: Relating To Elections.

Dead/Failed Hawaii · 2024 session

Last verified Oct 15, 2026 · official bill text

SB2396 · where it stands

This bill did not become law (dead/failed) · last action Feb 9, 2024.

What do these statuses mean?
Introduced
Filed in the legislature; may be waiting for a committee hearing.
Passed a chamber
Approved by one or both chambers; awaiting further action.
Enacted
Signed into law, or became law without a signature or over a veto.
Effective date
The date the law says it takes effect. Once it has passed, the page shows "Effective" and the date. A court order can still block a law; if we know of one, the summary says so.
Dead / vetoed
Vetoed, failed, or the session ended without action.

In one paragraph

Hawaii's Senate Bill 2396 (2024) would have barred anyone from distributing, within 90 days before a primary or general election, a synthetic media message in an electioneering communication that the person knows or should have known is a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of a candidate or party, unless it carries a disclosure that it was manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence. JDC deferred it February 9, 2024 and it died at the end of the 2023-2024 biennium.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

None: the bill was not enacted. If enacted, anyone distributing election deepfakes within 90 days of an election without the AI disclosure would have faced injunctions, damages and fines.

Key provisions

  1. Would have prohibited distributing, within 90 days before a primary or general election, a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of a candidate or party in an electioneering communication
  2. Safe harbor: a disclosure stating the media 'has been manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence', with set audio and visual formats
  3. Depicted candidates could have sought an injunction or sued for damages and attorneys' fees; the campaign spending commission could have investigated and assessed administrative fines, with no amounts set
  4. Exemptions for broadcasters airing bona fide news or acting in good faith, websites and periodicals that clearly disclaim the content, and satire or parody
  5. Introduced January 19, 2024; referred to JDC January 22, 2024; deferred February 9, 2024; stated effective upon approval

Latest legislative action

Feb 9, 2024. The committee on JDC deferred the measure.

Sponsors

NameRoleDistrict
D Sponsor SD-006
D Sponsor SD-013

Topics and industries

Related topics

AI Deepfakes

Affected industries

MediaGovernment

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

Related AI laws in Hawaii

All Hawaii bills →
SB2687 Relating To Elections. HB1766 Relating To Elections. HB2137 Relating To Artificial Intelligence. SB309 Relating To Privacy. SR81 Encouraging The United States Congress To Pass The Nurture Originals, Foster Art HB1734 Relating To Artificial Intelligence.

Same topic in other states

Indiana HB1133 Use of digitally altered media in elections Idaho H0664 ELECTIONEERING COMMUNICATIONS – Freedom From AI-Rigged (FAIR) Elections Act: rel Texas SB751 Relating to the creation of a criminal offense for fabricating a deceptive video Rhode Island H5872 Relating to Elections -- Deceptive and Fraudulent Synthetic Media in Election Co California AB686 Elections: deceptive audio or visual media. New York S9678 Relates to requiring certain notice and disclosure regarding materially deceptiv