Hawaii

State Public Records Law

Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA)

Hawaii Revised Statutes (2020)

HRS Chapter 92F (Contains all amendments enacted through the Legislature’s 2020 regular session.)

 

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Exemptions to Disclosure

Disclosure of the following records is not required:

    • Government records that, by their nature, must be confidential in order for the government to avoid the frustration of a legitimate government function;
    • OIP guidance suggests this exemption may include: “Proprietary Information such as research methods, records and data, computer programs and software and other types of information manufactured or marketed by persons under exclusive legal right, owned by an agency or entrusted to it.”
    • Records that if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy
    • Records that pursuant to State or federal law are protected from disclosure

Access Rights

    • Any person
    • Unless request is duplicative or substantially similar in nature to an earlier request made w/in the past year which has already been responded to, and which was made by the same requestor
    • Reasonable access to facilities for duplicating records and making memoranda or abstracts
    • Agency can adopt rules to protect from damage to or loss of records, and to prevent manifestly excessive interference w/ the discharge of its other lawful responsibilities and functions
    • Regular business hours

Destruction of Public Records

    • Need permission of comptroller per Section 94-3 to destroy public records [Section 92-31]; may be required to keep copy in archives
    • A listing of all destroyed documents is kept at the department where the record originated, at the office of the attorney general, and at the state archives.

Whistleblower Score

Rank: 26/51

Hawaii has an average state whistleblower law with narrow coverage (10 out of 33 possible points), a high degree of usability (23 out of 33) and good remedies (24 out of 33) plus one bonus point awarded for employee notification of rights.

Read the full assessment here»

What’s New in Hawaii?

The National Park Air Tour Management Act of 2000 requires the FAA, in consultation with NPS, to develop plans to limit noise and disruption in any park with more than 50 overflights a year. Yet, in the more than two decades since, the agencies have not developed a single air tour management plan. In May 2020, PEER won a judgment against the two agencies before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on the basis of their unreasonable delay.

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Hawaii Activity

Change is Possible! National Parks Reclaim Their Skies

The first serious inroads have been made into curbing swarms of commercial air tours rumbling across some of ...

Sharp Reduction of Air Tours Slated for Two Hawaii Parks

Current Incessant Overflight Levels Deemed Incompatible with Park Values

COMMENTARY | Glacier Skies to Finally Go Quiet

The path to serenity in the skies above all national parks is no longer subject to the demands of commercial ...

National Park Air Tour Plans Late and Off-Course

First 2 Overflight Limits OKed; 20 Behind Schedule, Most Lack Eco-Reviews

Court Puts National Park Overflights on Tight Leash

Agencies Taken to Task for Violating Air Tour Management Plan Deadlines

FAA Blows Court Deadlines for Park Air Tour Limits

Overflight Plans for 8 Major National Parks Due This August Not Close

FAA Off Course on National Park Air Tour Plans 

No Environmental or Noise Assessments Inform Draft Management Plans  

Long-Delayed Curbs on Noisy Park Overflights Slated  

FAA Posts Air Tour Management Plan Schedule Covering 23 National Parks  

Promised Crackdown On Park Overflights Yet To Take Off

Facing Lawsuit, FAA and Park Service Vow Action after Years of Impasse

Lawsuit to Ground Excessive National Park Overflights

FAA Faulted for Failure to Implement 2000 Law for Management of Park Air Tours

USS Arizona Memorial Mired in Dispirited Mess

Shoddy Conditions and Manager Absenteeism Compound Illegal Ticket Diversion

Report Details Ticket Diversion at USS Arizona Memorial

“Loss of Management Control” Let Commercial Tours Corner Market on Free Passes

Tsunami Warning Reliability at Risk in Stealth Reorganization

Downgrade of Pacific Center Bypasses Experts and Endangers Those It Protects

NOAA’s Big Storm Problem in Hawaii

New Regional Office Inaccessible During Tsunami, Hurricane or Major Storm

Hawaii Tsunami Response Gets Mixed Federal Signals

NOAA Wants Tsunami Warning Center Relocated Where Navy Says to Evacuate

Hawaii Should Brace for Major Hurricane, Says FEMA Report

Deep Infrastructure Damage May Hinder Relief Efforts and Government Operations

Hawaii Seismic Network Stuck Behind Schedule

Promised Tsunami and Earthquake Monitoring System Less than Half Complete

TSUNAMI THREAT TO HAWAII AND WEST COAST UNDERESTIMATED

Models Do Not Account for Multiple, Bigger Waves Inundating Populated Areas

NOAA’S QUARTER-BILLION DOLLAR HAWAIIAN BOONDOGGLE

New Office Complex on Superfund Site Beset by Environmental Headaches

NOAA BLOCKS MOVING PACIFIC TSUNAMI CENTER ABOVE SEA LEVEL

Warning Center May Be Unable to Function After First Wave Hits

SHARP RISE IN POLLUTION AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS AT HAWAII’S HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE

Air Force to Lay Off Compliance Units Despite Audit Finding
Phone: 202-265-7337

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Environmental Responsibility

PEER is a 501(c)(3) organization
EIN: 93-1102740