2026-06 ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNE LOPEZ LEADS MULTISTATE EFFORT URGING CONGRESS TO PASS KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

ANNE LOPEZ

ATTORNEY GENERAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNE LOPEZ LEADS MULTISTATE EFFORT URGING CONGRESS TO PASS KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT

News Release 2026-06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

February 10, 2026

HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez led a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from around the country, with a letter urging Congressional leadership to protect children from online harm and pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).

The letter, signed by 40 attorneys general, was circulated to House and Senate leadership in advance of potential consideration of the House version of KOSA, House of Representatives (H.R.) bill 6484, which contains expansive preemption language. States have pioneered laws that promote online safety for minors and attorneys general expressed concern in their letter that the provisions in H.R. 6484 could undermine existing and future state laws designed to protect children online — and would limit states’ ability to respond to and address new and emerging online harms.

“Hawaiʻi and other states have led the way in responding to evolving digital harms and holding online platforms accountable,” said Attorney General Lopez. “We urge Congress to build on that work by passing a strong Kids Online Safety Act that requires social media companies to design their products with children’s safety in mind and empowers states to continue enforcing protections for our keiki.”

In the letter, the attorneys general expressed support for the Senate version of KOSA, Senate bill 1748,  which includes a key Duty of Care requirement while enhancing and preserving states’ authority to enforce and strengthen online protection for minors.

This push for federal legislation comes as many state attorneys general offices have launched investigations and lawsuits against major social media platforms like Meta and TikTok for their targeting of underage users. The attorneys general emphasized the urgency of Congressional action, as scrutiny of social media companies intensifies and evidence mounts regarding the harmful impact of addictive design features on children and teens.

Attorney General Lopez led the effort to send this letter to Congressional leadership alongside the attorneys general of American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands and Wyoming.

A copy of the letter is available here.

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