Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, February 23, 2018
State should speed up responses to information requests
By Keli'i Akina PhD @ 3:30 PM :: 4625 Views :: Ethics, Hawaii State Government

State should speed up responses to information requests

by Keli’i Akina, PhD, President, Grassroot Institute, February 23, 2018

Hawaii takes the longest in the nation to make decisions about transparency disputes, and in the interest of accountable government, this just will not do.

According to a study by the Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest, the average number of days to receive a transparency decision from the state Office of Information Practices (OIP) has lengthened to 474 days, up from only 90 days in 2011 — this despite OIP having the most attorneys and staff per capita for any state transparency agency.

The study noted that in cases where government agencies have withheld public records, getting a response from the OIP — which Hawaii citizens depend on to resolve a dispute or offer an opinion — can take two to three years.

If this were a matter of criminal justice, this type of delay would be almost criminal — a violation of due process.

In the current legislative session, one proposal to remedy this situation would set a time limit of six months on major transparency issues. This would help because it’s important for citizens to have the tools they need to shine a light on government spending and management.

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii certainly has been doing its part. Over the years, we have uploaded significant data to our transparency website, OpenHawaii.org, including everything from the content of Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit check registers to proof that a half-a-million dollars in public pension payments were being made to people no longer alive.

Transparency is not about just the ability to get the information; it’s also about getting the information quickly, so as to facilitate timely and needed responses.

Our state government must release its public information quicker, so island watchdogs can ensure that it is operating the best that it can, within its proper bounds.

E hana kakou (Let’s work together!),

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D.

President/CEO

Contribute today to help us build a better Hawaii for all.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT