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Senate committee defers SB1213 on allowing email for service of process
Summary
SB1213, which would allow businesses to designate an email address to accept service of process in lieu of a continuously maintained registered agent, was deferred after opposition from registered-agent providers.
SB1213, a bill to allow businesses to designate an email address to accept service of process in lieu of continuously maintaining a registered agent in the state, was discussed by the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection on Feb. 10, 2025.
Rainey Nakamura Watanabe of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Business Registration Division offered comments and stood on written testimony. LegalZoom (represented by Lisonbee DeSantis) and local registered-agent providers (Honolulu Information Service represented by Jo Klimavern) testified in opposition, citing reliability, spam-filtering, phishing risk, and due-process concerns. LegalZoom said email lacks the reliability of in-person delivery or certified mail and could introduce security and notification failures for service of process.
Committee members noted broad opposition and deferred the bill. Written testimony included opposition from national and local registered-agent organizations. The committee asked for further work given the concerns about reliability, cybersecurity and due process before any change to registered-agent requirements would be advanced.
