Digital Readiness · Deepfakes

Where the law has caught up — and where it hasn't.

Every U.S. state, mapped against the topics moving fastest at the legislature. Click any state for the law and where enforcement actually stands.

Deepfakes

Hawaii

In motion.Trending toward more guardrails.

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Not yet effective. The rule has been adopted but its effective date has not arrived.

Sources

capitol.hawaii.govHawaii HB 2137 CD1 — deepfakes and AI synthetic media

Why this status

Hawaii is considering HB 2137, currently at conference draft 1 (CD 1), that would prohibit knowingly publishing a highly realistic AI-generated depiction of a real person — using their face, voice, or likeness — without that person's written permission. As written, the bill provides civil remedies (court orders, damages up to $25,000 per advertisement, attorneys' fees) and carves out parody, satire, news reporting, documentaries, and educational expression. The bill had not been signed as of the May 5, 2026 review, so no new state rule applies in Hawaii today.

What this means

There is no Hawaii deepfake rule in force today — only existing federal law and platform policies apply.
The bill, if enacted, would reach beyond elections: it covers AI-generated depictions used in advertising, ones that cause reputational or financial harm, or ones used to commit fraud or harassment.
Parody, satire, news, documentaries, and educational use are written into HB 2137 as recognized exceptions — the bill isn't drafted as a blanket ban.

What to verify next

Watch HB 2137 on the Hawaii State Legislature site to see if the conference draft clears both chambers and is signed.
If it passes, the operative date will be on the enrolled act — that's the date this card will move to a colored in-effect status.

How this was scored →

Public-source posture estimateNot legal adviceMap regenerated2026-05-08 · 8 May 2026