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Sunshine Law Visit the State Calendar to view meeting notices of State boards and commissions. Please note: the State Calendar is maintained by the Department of Accounting and General Services. Sunshine Law Guide: OIP has prepared a guide to the Sunshine Law, which may be downloaded in pdf or word format below. This guide is intended to be a reference tool for board members and members of the public in understanding Hawaii’s Sunshine Law. We have attempted to present the law in “plain English,” through the types of questions that are most frequently asked. We have also included a flowchart regarding executive meetings and a checklist for notices that are intended to provide additional tools to aid your understanding and compliance with the Sunshine Law.
Two Acts Signed into
Law in 2008:
Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes:
Hawaii Revised Statues CHAPTER 92 SECTION §92-1 Declaration of policy and intent. In a democracy, the people are vested with the ultimate decision-making power. Governmental agencies exist to aid the people in the formation and conduct of public policy. Opening up the governmental processes to public scrutiny and participation is the only viable and reasonable method of protecting the public's interest. Therefore, the legislature declares that it is the policy of this State that the formation and conduct of public policy - the discussions, deliberations, decisions, and action of governmental agencies - shall be conducted as openly as possible. To implement this policy the legislature declares that: (1) It is the intent of this part to protect the people's right to know; (2) The provisions requiring open meetings shall be liberally construed; and (3) The provisions providing for exceptions to the open meeting requirements shall be strictly construed against closed meetings. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1] §92-1.5 Administration of this part. The director of the office of information practices shall administer this part. The director shall establish procedures for filing and responding to complaints filed by any person concerning the failure of any board to comply with this part. The director of the office of information practices shall submit an annual report of these complaints along with final resolution of complaints, and other statistical data to the legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session. [L 1998, c 137, §2] §92-2 Definitions. As used in this part: (1) "Board" means any agency, board, commission, authority, or committee of the State or its political subdivisions which is created by constitution, statute, rule, or executive order, to have supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power over specific matters and which is required to conduct meetings and to take official actions. (2) "Chance meeting" means a social or informal assemblage of two or more members at which matters relating to official business are not discussed. (3) "Meeting," means the convening of a board for which a quorum is required in order to make a decision or to deliberate toward a decision upon a matter over which the board has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1976, c 212, §1] §92-2.5 Permitted interactions of members. (a) Two members of a board may discuss between themselves matters relating to official board business to enable them to perform their duties faithfully, as long as no commitment to vote is made or sought and the two members do not constitute a quorum of their board. (b) Two or more members of a board, but less than the number of members which would constitute a quorum for the board, may be assigned to: (1) Investigate a matter relating to the official business of their board; provided that: (A) The scope of the investigation and the scope of each member's authority are defined at a meeting of the board; (B) All resulting findings and recommendations are presented to the board at a meeting of the board; and (C) Deliberation and decisionmaking on the matter investigated, if any, occurs only at a duly noticed meeting of the board held subsequent to the meeting at which the findings and recommendations of the investigation were presented to the board; or (2) Present, discuss, or negotiate any position which the board has adopted at a meeting of the board; provided that the assignment is made and the scope of each member's authority is defined at a meeting of the board prior to the presentation, discussion or negotiation. (c) Discussions between two or more members of a board, but less than the number of members which would constitute a quorum for the board, concerning the selection of the board's officers may be conducted in private without limitation or subsequent reporting. (d) Discussions between the governor and one or more members of a board may be conducted in private without limitation or subsequent reporting; provided that the discussion does not relate to a matter over which a board is exercising its adjudicatory function. (e) Discussions between two or more members of a board and the head of a department to which the board is administratively assigned may be conducted in private without limitation; provided that the discussion is limited to matters specified in section 26-35. (f) Communications, interactions, discussions. investigations, and presentations described in this section are not meetings for purposes of this part. [L 1996, c 267, §2; am L 2005, c 84, §1] §92-3 Open meetings. Every meeting of all boards shall be open to the public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting unless otherwise provided in the constitution or as closed pursuant to sections 92-4 and 92-5; provided that the removal of any person or persons who wilfully disrupts a meeting to prevent and compromise the conduct of the meeting shall not be prohibited. The boards shall afford all interested persons an opportunity to submit data, views, or arguments, in writing, on any agenda item. The boards shall also afford all interested persons an opportunity to present oral testimony on any agenda item. The boards may provide for reasonable administration of oral testimony by rule. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1985, c 278, §1] §92-3.1
Limited meetings. (a) If a board determines that it is necessary
to meet at a location that is dangerous to health or safety, or
if a board determines that it is necessary to conduct an (1) The board determines, after sufficient public deliberation, that it is necessary to hold the limited meeting and specifies the reasons for its determination that the location is dangerous to health or safety or that the on-site inspection is necessary and public attendance is impracticable; (2) Two-thirds of all members to which the board is entitled vote to adopt the determinations required by paragraph (1); and (3) Notice of the limited meeting is provided in accordance with section 92-7. (b) At all limited meetings, the board shall: (1) Videotape the meeting, unless the requirement is waived by the director of the office of information practices, and comply with all requirements of section 92-9; (2) Make the videotape available at the next regular meeting; and (3) Make no decisions at the meeting. (L 1995, c 212, §1; am L 2008, c20, §1] §92-3.5 Meeting by videoconference; notice; quorum. (a) A board may hold a meeting byvideoconference; provided that the videoconference system used by the board shall allow both audio and visual interaction between all members of the board participating in the meeting and the public attending the meeting, at any videoconference location. The notice required by section 92-7 shall specify all locations at which board members will be physically present during a videoconference meeting. The notice shall also specify that the public may attend the meeting at any of the specified locations. (b) Any board member participating in a meeting by videoconference shall be considered present at the meeting for the purpose of determining compliance with the quorum and voting requirements of the board. (c) A meeting held by videoconference shall be terminated if, after the meeting convenes, both the audio and video communication cannot be maintained with all locations where the meeting is being held, even if a quorum of the board is physically present in one location; provided that a meeting may be continued by audio communication alone, if: 1. All visual aids required by, or brought to the meeting by board members or members of the public have already been provided to all videoconference locations where the meeting is held; or 2. Participants are able to readily transmit visual aids by some other means (e.g., fax copies), to all other meeting participants at all other videoconference locations where the meeting is held. If copies of visual aids are not available to all meeting participants at all videoconference location where the meeting is held, those agenda items related to the visual aids shall be deferred until the next meeting; and 3. No more than fifteen minutes shall elapse in implementing the requirements listed in paragraph (2). [L 1994, c 121, §1; am L 2000, c 284, §2; am L 2006, c 152, §1] §92-4 Executive meetings. A board may hold an executive meeting closed to the public upon an affirmative vote, taken at an open meeting, of two-thirds of the members present; provided the affirmative vote constitutes a majority of the members to which the board is entitled. A meeting closed to the public shall be limited to matters exempted by section 92-5. The reason for holding such a meeting shall be publicly announced and the vote of each member on the question of holding a meeting closed to the public shall be recorded, and entered into the minutes of the meeting. (L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1985, c 278, §2] §92-5 Exceptions. (a) A board may hold a meeting closed to the public pursuant to section 92-4 for one or more of the following purposes: (1) To consider and evaluate personal information relating to individuals applying for professional or vocational licenses cited in section 26-9 or both; (2) To consider the hire, evaluation, dismissal, or discipline of an officer or employee or of charges brought against the officer or employee, where consideration of matters affecting privacy will be involved; provided that if the individual concerned requests an open meeting, an open meeting shall be held; (3) To deliberate concerning the authority of persons designated by the board to conduct labor negotiations or to negotiate the acquisition of public property, or during the conduct of such negotiations; (4) To consult with the board's attorney on questions
and issues pertaining to the board's powers, duties, privileges,
immunities, and liabilities; (6) To consider sensitive matters related to public
safety or security; (8) To deliberate or make a decision upon a matter that requires the consideration of information that must be kept confidential pursuant to a state or federal law, or a court order. (b) In no instance shall the board make a decision or deliberate toward a decision in an executive meeting on matters not directly related to the purposes specified in subsection (a). No chance meeting, permitted interaction, or electronic communication shall be used to circumvent the spirit or requirements of this part to make a decision or to deliberate toward a decision upon a matter over which the board has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1985, c 278, §3; gen ch 1985; am L 1996, c 267, §3; am L 1998, c 48, §1; am L 1999, c 49, §1] [§92-6 AMENDED. "Criminal injuries compensation commission" changed to "crime victim compensation commission". L 1998, c 240, §6.] §92-6 Judicial branch, quasi-judicial boards and investigatory functions; applicability. (a) This part shall not apply: (1) To the judicial branch. (2) To adjudicatory functions exercised by a board and governed by sections 91-8 and 91-9, or authorized by other sections of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. In the application of this subsection, boards exercising adjudicatory functions include, but are not limited to, the following: (A) Hawaii labor relations board, chapters 89 and 377; (B) Labor and industrial relations appeals board, chapter 371; (C) Hawaii paroling authority, chapter 353; (D) Civil service commission, chapter 26; (E) Board of trustees, employees' retirement system of the State of Hawaii, chapter 88; (F) Crime victim compensation commission, chapter 351; and (G) State ethics commission, chapter 84. (b) Notwithstanding provisions in this section to the contrary, this part shall apply to require open deliberation of the adjudicatory functions of the land use commission. (L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1976, c 92, §8; am L 1985, c 25s1, §11] §92-7 Notice. (a) The board shall give written public notice of any regular, special, or rescheduled meeting, or any executive meeting when anticipated in advance. The notice shall include an agenda which lists all of the items to be considered at the forthcoming meeting, the date, time, and place of the meeting, and in the case of an executive meeting the purpose shall be stated. (b) The board shall file the notice in the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate county clerk's office, and in the board's office for public inspection, at least six calendar days before the meeting. The notice shall also be posted at the site of the meeting whenever feasible. (c) If the written public notice is filed in the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate countyclerk's office less than six calendar days before the meeting, the lieutenant governor or the appropriate county clerk shall immediately notify the chairperson of the board, or the director of the department within which the board is established or placed, of the tardy filing of the meeting notice. The meeting shall be canceled as a matter of law, the chairperson or the director shall ensure that a notice canceling the meeting is posted at the place of the meeting, and no meeting shall be held. (d) No board shall change the agenda, once filed, by adding items thereto without a two-thirds recorded vote of all members to which the board is entitled; provided that no item shall be added to the agenda if it is of reasonably major importance and action thereon by the board will affect a significant number of persons. Items of reasonably major importance not decided at a scheduled meeting shall be considered only at a meeting continued to a reasonable day and time. (e) The board shall maintain a list of names and addresses of persons who request notification of meetings and shall mail a copy of the notice to such persons at their last recorded address no later than the time the agenda is filed under subsection (b). [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1976, c 212, §2; am L 1984, c 271, §1; am L 1985, c 278, §4; am L 1995, c 13, §2] §92-8 Emergency meetings. (a) If a board finds that an imminent peril to the public health, safety, or welfare requires a meeting in less time than is provided for in section 92-7, the board may hold an emergency meeting provided that: (1) The board states in writing the reasons for its findings; (2) Two-thirds of all members to which the board is entitled agree that the findings are correct and an emergency exists; (3) An emergency agenda and the findings are filed with the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate county clerk's office, and in the board's office; and (4) Persons requesting notification on a regular basis are contacted by mail or telephone as soon as practicable. (b) If an unanticipated event requires a board to take action on a matter over which it has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power, within less time than is provided for in section 92-7 to notice and convene a meeting of the board, the board may hold an emergency meeting to deliberate and decide whether and how to act in response to the unanticipated event; provided that: (1) The board states in writing the reasons for its finding that an unanticipated event has occurred and that an emergency meeting is necessary and the attorney general concurs that the conditions necessary for an emergency meeting under this subsection exist; (2) Two-thirds of all members to which the board is entitled agree that the conditions necessary for an emergency meeting under this subsection exist; (3) The finding that an unanticipated event has occurred and that an emergency meeting is necessary and the agenda for the emergency meeting under this subsection are filed with the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate county clerk's office, and in the board's office; (4) Persons requesting notification on a regular basis are contacted by mail or telephone as soon as practicable; and (5) The board limits its action to only that action which must be taken on or before the date that a meeting would have been held, had the board noticed the meeting pursuant to section 92-7. (c) For purposes of this part, an "unanticipated event" means: (1) An event which members of the board did not have sufficient advance knowledge of or reasonably could not have known about from information published by the media or information generally available in the community; (2) A deadline established by a legislative body, a court, or a federal, state, or county agency beyond the control of a board; or (3) A consequence of an event for which reasonably informed and knowledgeable board members could not have taken all necessary action. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1996, c 267, §4] §92-9 Minutes. (a) The board shall keep written minutes of all meetings. Unless otherwise required by law, neither a full transcript nor a recording of the meeting is required, but the written minutes shall give a true reflection of the matters discussed at the meeting and the views of the participants. The minutes shall include, but need not be limited to: (1) The date, time and place of the meeting; (2) The members of the board recorded as either present or absent; (3) The substance of all matters proposed, discussed, or decided; and a record, by individual member, of any votes taken; and (4) Any other information that any member of the board requests be included or reflected in the minutes. (b) The minutes shall be public records and shall be available within thirty days after the meeting, except where such disclosure would be inconsistent with section 92-5; provided that minutes of executive meetings may be withheld so long as their publication would defeat the lawful purpose of the executive meeting, but no longer. (c) All or any part of a meeting, of a board may be
recorded by any person in attendance by means of a tape recorder
or any other means of sonic reproduction, except when a meeting
is closed pursuant to section 92-4; provided the recording does
not actively interfere with the conduct of the meeting. §92-10 Legislative branch; applicability. Notwithstanding any provisions contained in this chapter to the contrary, open meeting requirements, and provisions regarding enforcement, penalties and sanctions, as they are to relate to the state legislature or to any of its members shall be such as shall be from time to time prescribed by the respective rules and procedures of the senate and the house of representatives, which rules and procedures shall take precedence over this part. Similarly, provisions relating to notice, agenda and minutes of meetings, and such other requirements as may be necessary, shall also be governed by the respective rules and procedures of the senate and the house of representatives. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §11] §92-11 Voidability. Any final action taken in violation of sections 92-3 and 92-7 may be voidable upon proof of violation. A suit to void any final action shall be commenced within ninety days of the action. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 2005, c 84, §2] (a) The attorney general and the prosecuting attorney shall enforce this part. (b) The circuit courts of the State shall have jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this part by injunction or other appropriate remedy. (c) Any person may commence a suit in the circuit court of the circuit in which a prohibited act occurs for the purpose of requiring compliance with or preventing violations of this part or to determine the applicability of this part to discussions or decisions of the public body. The court may order payment of reasonable attorney fees and costs to the prevailing party in a suit brought under this section. (d) The proceedings for review shall not stay the enforcement of any agency decisions; but the reviewing court may order a stay if the following criteria have been met: (1) There is likelihood that the party bringing the action will prevail on the merits; (2) Irreparable damage will result if a stay is not ordered; (3) No irreparable damage to the public will result from the stay order; and (4) Public interest will be served by the stay order. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1; am L 1985, c 278, §5] §92-13 Penalties. Any person who wilfully violates any provisions of this part shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, may be summarily removed from the board unless otherwise provided by law. [L 1975, c 166, pt of §1]
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