Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association will testify today before the Hawaii House Economic Development & Technology Committee and Senate Labor and Technology Committee in opposition to two technology bills, SB 2761 and HB 2500, warning that both proposals raise serious constitutional, privacy, and economic concerns.
SB 2761 would prohibit individuals under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms. CCIA cautions that the bill would restrict young people’s lawful access to information and online communities, raising significant First Amendment concerns. Federal courts have repeatedly blocked similar age-based access restrictions in states including California, Florida, Texas, and Utah, finding that broad limits on access to online speech fail constitutional scrutiny.
The association also warns that SB 2761 would depart sharply from existing federal law. Unlike the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which applies to users under 13, SB 2761 would impose a sweeping ban on access for teenagers, potentially encouraging platforms to limit services entirely rather than expand safety tools. CCIA notes that such restrictions could unintentionally cut off young people from supportive online communities that may not be available in their physical surroundings.
HB 2500, which seeks to regulate artificial intelligence systems, also raises serious concerns. CCIA warns that the bill’s overly broad definitions would sweep in routine, low-risk business tools, such as resume databases, search features, and recommendation systems, subjecting them to compliance obligations designed for high-risk AI applications.
The association further cautions that HB 2500’s mandatory impact assessments and joint liability framework would impose heavy compliance costs, particularly on startups and small businesses. These requirements risk slowing innovation, creating legal uncertainty, and placing Hawaii at a competitive disadvantage compared to other states. CCIA points to similar challenges faced in Colorado, where lawmakers have struggled to revise comparable AI legislation after concerns about its complexity and economic impact.
CCIA supports policies that promote online safety and responsible AI development, and the association stands ready to work with lawmakers to achieve those goals. However, SB 2761 and HB 2500 would create significant unintended consequences while failing to deliver effective, narrowly tailored solutions.
The following statement can be attributed to Aodhan Downey, State Policy Manager for the Western Region at CCIA, who will testify against both bills today:
“Protecting children online and ensuring responsible AI development are important goals. Unfortunately, SB 2761 and HB 2500 take overly broad approaches that raise serious constitutional, privacy, and innovation concerns. These bills would likely restrict lawful access to information, increase data collection, and impose costly compliance burdens that harm startups and small businesses. We encourage lawmakers to pause and carefully consider more targeted approaches that protect users without undermining fundamental rights or Hawaii’s innovation economy.”
