Ewe Sunshine Law (HRS Chapter 92) a require government board, commission, me council repwe conduct business non ewe open. Ei guide a cover met ekewe chon organize meeting ra kana kopwe silei kopwe nom non compliance — notice requirement, agenda rule, executive session procedure, me public testimony obligation.
Ei ese eu plain-language compliance overview. Ren ewe full legal text, katon HRS Chapter 92. Ren official guidance, contact ewe Office of Information Practices (OIP).
Met a constitute eu “meeting” under ewe Sunshine Law
Eu “meeting” under ewe Sunshine Law ese meinisin gathering en eu quorum (eu majority en member) en eu board nge ekewe member ra kapas eis, deliberate, ika fori aninis won meen mi non ewe board an supervision, control, jurisdiction, ika advisory power.
Ei a include:
- Regular me special meeting
- Committee meeting (ika ewe committee a wor eu quorum en ewe full board)
- Workshop me work session
- Site visit nge board business mi kapas eis usun
- Conference call ika video call me eu quorum mi present
- Serial communication (e.g., email chain) nge eu quorum a kapas eis usun board business
Esap pwan include informal gathering me esap eu quorum, purely social event, ika internal staff meeting (ewe law a apply ngeni board, esap agency day-to-day operation).
Notice requirement
Ewe written public notice en meinisin meeting a kana kopwe file at least enimen calendar day me mwen ewe meeting. Ei echok pwe ika eu meeting a fis non eu Wednesday, notice a kana kopwe file esap me mwin ewe mwirin Thursday.
Met ewe notice a kana kopwe include
- Date, tien, me ia en ewe meeting
- Ewe agenda (eu list en meinisin item mi pwe repwe consider)
- Statement pwe ewe meeting ese mi open ngeni public
- Statement pwe testimony a tongeni submit (me met kopwe fori)
- Contact information ren accommodation request
Ia kopwe post ewe notice
- Ewe state calendar non calendar.ehawaii.gov
- Ewe board an website (ika mi applicable)
- Ewe physical location nge ewe meeting epwe fis (ika mi applicable)
Emergency meeting ra tongeni call me tikitik seni enimen ran notice, nge chok nge eu emergency ika imminent peril ngeni public health, safety, ika welfare a require immediate action. Ewe reason a kana kopwe state non ewe notice.
Agenda requirement
Ewe agenda ese ewe part mi auchea ngeni compliance en ewe Sunshine Law. Ewe core rule ese simple: eu board esap tongeni kapas eis ika act won meinisin item mi esap won ewe published agenda.
Agenda specificity
- Eu me eu agenda item a kana kopwe describe me ngengen specificity pwe ewe public ra tongeni determine ika ra mochen attend ika testify
- Vague description pwe “Old Business” ika “New Business” esap sufficient ren substantive discussion
- “Reports” ika “Announcements” item ese acceptable chok ren informational update — esap deliberation ika decision-making
- Ika ewe board epwe vote won meen, ewe item description a kana kopwe fori ewe clear
Add item mwin ewe agenda mi publish
Generally, item esap tongeni add won ewe agenda mwin a publish. Ika meen a nom up mi esap won ewe agenda, ewe board a kana kopwe schedule ren eu future meeting me proper notice. Ewe chok exception ese ika eu item a qualify pwe eu emergency under HRS 92-8.
Executive session rule
Executive session (closed meeting) ese mi permit chok ren specific purpose mi list non HRS 92-5. Meinisin apwan business a kana kopwe conduct non public.
Permitted purpose ren executive session
- Personnel matter — consider ewe hire, evaluation, dismissal, ika discipline en eu officer ika employee (nge esap ewe general discussion en personnel policy)
- Legal matter — consult me ewe board an attorney won question me issue mi related ngeni ewe board an power, duty, privilege, immunity, me liability
- Collective bargaining — deliberation mi related ngeni collective bargaining
- Security matter — kapas eis usun meen mi related ngeni public safety ika security
- Real property transaction — consider ewe acquisition en real property nge public knowledge epwe increase ewe price
- Investigation — investigate eu alleged violation en law nge public disclosure epwe compromise ewe investigation
Procedure ren enter executive session
- Ewe agenda a kana kopwe state pwe ewe board a tongeni enter executive session me cite ewe specific HRS 92-5 provision
- Eu two-thirds vote en ekewe member mi present a required kopwe close ewe meeting
- Ewe board a kana kopwe announce ewe purpose en ewe executive session publicly me mwen closing
- Chok ewe matter mi state a tongeni kapas eis usun non ewe closed session
- Esap wor final action ika vote mi tongeni fori non executive session — ewe board a kana kopwe reconvene non public kopwe vote
Public testimony requirement
Ewe Sunshine Law a guarantee ewe public an right kopwe present testimony won meinisin agenda item. Board ra kana kopwe awora eu reasonable opportunity ren public testimony.
Compliance requirement ren testimony
- Allow oral testimony non ewe meeting (in person ika ren remote connection ika mi offer)
- Accept written testimony mi submit me mwen ika non ewe meeting
- Awora clear instruction non ewe meeting notice usun met kopwe submit testimony
- Board ra tongeni set reasonable time limit won oral testimony (e.g., 3 minute ren eu aramas), nge esap tongeni prohibit meinisin
- Board ra kana kopwe consider testimony me mwen kopwe fori eu aninis, nge resap required kopwe follow
Remote testimony: Nap board iei ra accept testimony ren video ika phone. Ika omw board a offer remote access, include ewe connection detail non ewe meeting notice.
Minute requirement
Meinisin board a kana kopwe keep written minute en an meeting. Minute a wiis eu public record me a kana kopwe available nge ra tingor.
Met minute a kana kopwe include
- Date, tien, me ia en ewe meeting
- Member mi present me absent
- Substance en meinisin matter mi proposed, kapas eis usun, ika decided
- Eu record en meinisin vote mi fori (include met an eu me eu member a vote)
- Ika executive session a fis: ewe vote kopwe close ewe meeting me ewe purpose mi cite
Minute a kana kopwe approve non eu subsequent meeting me post publicly. OIP a recommend pwe board repwe post minute non 40 ran en ewe meeting.
Penalty ren violation
Violation en ewe Sunshine Law a tongeni wor real consequence:
- Voided action. Meinisin action mi fori non violation en ewe Sunshine Law a tongeni void ren eu court
- Attorney’s fee. Eu board mi found in violation a tongeni required kopwe pay ewe prevailing party an attorney’s fee
- Personal liability. Board member mi intentionally violate ewe law ra tongeni personally liable ren eu fine en tori $500 ren eu violation
- OIP opinion. OIP a tongeni issue formal opinion mi finding eu violation me recommend corrective action
Compliance checklist ren meeting organizer
Use ei checklist me mwen meinisin meeting kopwe ensure Sunshine Law compliance:
Me mwen ewe meeting
- Agenda item ra describe me ngengen specificity pwe ewe public epwe silei met pwe repwe kapas eis usun
- Written notice mi file at least 6 calendar day me mwen ewe meeting
- Notice mi post won ewe state calendar (calendar.ehawaii.gov)
- Notice a include date, tien, ia, me full agenda
- Notice a include information usun met kopwe submit testimony
- Notice a include contact information ren accommodation request
- Ika executive session mi anticipated, ewe agenda a cite ewe specific HRS 92-5 provision
Non ewe meeting
- Discussion a nom won agenda item chok — esap off-agenda deliberation
- Public testimony mi allow won eu me eu agenda item
- Ika enter executive session: two-thirds vote mi fori, purpose mi announce publicly
- Meinisin vote mi fori non open session me mi record
- Esap wor final action mi fori non executive session
Mwin ewe meeting
- Minute mi draft promptly (non 40 ran mi recommend)
- Minute a include member mi present, item mi kapas eis usun, me vote mi fori
- Minute mi approve non eu subsequent meeting
- Approved minute mi post publicly
Common mistake kopwe avoid
- Serial communication. Eu chain en one-on-one conversation ne ekewe board member mi collectively involve eu quorum mi kapas eis usun board business ese eu Sunshine Law violation — nge esap eu single conversation a involve eu quorum
- Vague agenda item. “New Business” ika “Discussion” me esap specifics esap meet ewe notice requirement ren substantive deliberation
- Act non executive session. Fori eu final vote ika fori eu binding aninis nge non closed session a violate ewe law
- Late notice. File ewe notice tikitik seni 6 calendar day me mwen ewe meeting a violate ewe requirement, nge ren eu ran chok
- Block testimony. Refuse kopwe accept testimony ika esap awora eu reasonable opportunity ren ewe public kopwe rongorong ese eu violation
Resource
- HRS Chapter 92 — full text
- OIP Sunshine Law guidance
- OIP Sunshine Law guide (PDF)
- OIP training me workshop
- State public meeting calendar
Tinamwon
Ka kana aninisi me Sunshine Law compliance? OIP a offer free training me guidance ren government board.