HB642 would require Hawaii state agencies, through the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, to publish the full text of proposed rules and final agency rules on the office’s website in a digitally accessible and searchable format. The bill applies both to proposed rulemaking actions and to rules that are adopted, amended, or repealed, and it also requires the website to provide instructions for downloading the posted materials. In practical terms, the measure updates existing administrative-rule publication requirements to emphasize online access, searchability, and accessibility for the public.
The bill amends sections 91-2.6 and 91-4 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which govern notice and filing requirements for administrative rulemaking. It preserves the existing requirement that agencies file certified copies of rules with the lieutenant governor or county clerk, while adding an explicit obligation for state agencies to make the full text available online in a searchable, digitally accessible format. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 3000, which functions as a placeholder effective date rather than an immediate operational change.
The overall sentiment reflected in the bill’s progress is favorable and noncontroversial. HB642 passed second reading as amended in HD 1 and was referred onward with no votes in opposition and no votes in reservation, suggesting broad procedural support. There is no committee transcript in the provided materials indicating substantive opposition or debate.
No major points of contention are identified in the available record. The bill appears to be a technical transparency and accessibility measure rather than a policy dispute, and the absence of recorded dissent suggests that any concerns, if present, were not significant enough to affect the vote. The main practical issue is implementation of digital formatting and website posting requirements for agency rule materials.
Impact
HB642 would change Hawaii’s administrative rule publication requirements by adding a statewide digital-access mandate for proposed and final rules posted through the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. It would affect state agencies that engage in rulemaking by requiring them to provide rule text in a searchable, accessible online format, while leaving the existing certified-copy filing system in place. The bill primarily impacts public access to administrative rules, agency publication practices, and the lieutenant governor’s website responsibilities under chapters 91-2.6 and 91-4 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
Sentiment
The available legislative history indicates generally positive sentiment toward HB642. It advanced through the House with no recorded opposition and no reservations, suggesting that lawmakers viewed it as a straightforward modernization of rule publication and public access requirements. The lack of committee testimony or recorded debate in the provided materials also points to a low-conflict, technical bill with broad support.
Contention
No notable contention is shown in the provided record. The bill’s requirements for digital accessibility, searchability, and online posting could raise implementation questions for agencies or the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, but no specific objections, amendments, or opposing arguments are documented here. The only visible procedural issue is the unusual effective date of July 1, 3000, which appears to be a placeholder and not a substantive policy dispute.
Relates to the line of succession for the governor and lieutenant-governor in cases where they are impeached or unable to perform the duties of the office.
Relates to the line of succession for the governor and lieutenant-governor in cases where they are impeached or unable to perform the duties of the office.