PART I. MEETINGS

 

Law Journals and Reviews

 

  Hawai`i's Sunshine Law Compliance Criteria.  26 UH L. Rev.21.

 

Attorney General Opinions

 

  Department of agriculture advisory committee on plants andanimals subject to provisions of this part; subcommittees not subject to thispart.  Att. Gen. Op. 90-7.

 

§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 ofpublic policy.  Opening up the governmental processes to public scrutiny andparticipation is the only viable and reasonable method of protecting thepublic's interest.  Therefore, the legislature declares that it is the policyof this State that the formation and conduct of public policy -the discussions,deliberations, decisions, and action of governmental agencies -shall beconducted as openly as possible.  To implement this policy the legislaturedeclares that:

(1)  It is the intent of this part to protect thepeople's right to know;

(2)  The provisions requiring open meetings shall beliberally construed; and

(3)  The provisions providing for exceptions to theopen meeting requirements shall be strictly construed against closed meetings.[L 1975, c 166, pt of §1]

 

Attorney General Opinions

 

  This section and sections 92-7 and 92-9 require commission tospecify subject matter of items on public meeting agenda.  Att. Gen. Op. 85-2.

  Interpretation of "board" as excluding countycouncil would be inconsistent with policy and intent of sunshine law.  Att.Gen. Op. 86-5.

 

Hawaii Legal Reporter Citations

 

  Openness in governmental discussions, deliberations,decisions, and actions. 79 HLR 79-0117; 79 HLR 79-0543.