Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateHawaiiIntroduced
SB 2852: RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
Joy San Buenaventura
SB 2852 status: Introduced — Act 257, 07/14/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1359) (updated Jul 14, 2026).
Source
LegiScan
Confidence
High
Analysis basis
LegiScan full bill text
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
70OUT OF 100
Score:70/100 civic fit
Risk:Moderate Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 65/100
Constitutionality95%
Bipartisan90%
Public opinion85%
Bill summary
Requires the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to adopt rules on digital accessibility for places of public accommodation that are consistent with certain federal regulations. Specifies that a violation of the rules is an unlawful discriminatory practice. Establishes that it is an unlawful discriminatory practice for a place of public accommodation to deny a person with a disability full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations, or information related thereto, by requiring the use of information and communication technology that is not accessible to the person. (CD1)
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
Mixed / Neutral
40%
Benefits
- Increases market demand for accessible web design services
- Reduces long-term litigation uncertainty for businesses
- Encourages innovation in universal interface design
Risks
- Imposes direct financial compliance costs on businesses
- May disproportionately burden small businesses with limited resources
- Risk of litigation for technical non-compliance
Society
Positive outlook
90%
Benefits
- Ensures full and equal participation in public life for disabled citizens
- Reduces discriminatory barriers to digital services and commerce
- Expands access to essential public and private information
Risks
- Potential for short-term service disruptions during accessibility upgrades
- Dependence on effective rulemaking for real-world impact
- Vulnerability to enforcement gaps if standards are not strictly applied
Technology Industry
Positive outlook
70%
Benefits
- Standardizes requirements for web and software development
- Promotes the adoption of universal accessibility best practices
- Creates a stable regulatory environment for digital development
Risks
- Requires developers to adapt to new mandatory technical standards
- Increased focus on compliance testing for software and web products
- Potential for industry pressure to resolve complex technical accessibility issues
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
80%
Benefits
- Directs the Civil Rights Commission to formalize regulatory standards
- Provides clear enforcement pathways for discriminatory practices
- Incorporates public participation in the administrative rulemaking process
Risks
- Reliance on agency rulemaking to define specific technical details
- Potential for extended timelines for rule adoption
- Limited public input on technical standards beyond administrative procedures
Public Health & Safety
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
LegiScan
Official bill text or data from LegiScan.
Confidence
High
Information is complete and verified.
Analysis basis
LegiScan full bill text
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
Businesses may face significant costs to retrofit existing digital infrastructure to meet the DOJ Title II framework.
Analysis scope
Specific technical standards depend on upcoming administrative rulemaking.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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