Court Says Hawaiʻi House of Representatives Violated Hawaiʻi Constitution

News Release from Gary Hooser, May 31, 2026  (excerpt)

On Friday May 29th, 2026 – First Circuit Court Judge James Ashford ruled in Acasio V House of Representatives that the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives violated the Hawaiʻi Constitution when the House Advisory Committee on Rules met in secret and made decisions.

This is precedent setting and the first time in history the constitutional provision requiring House and Senate Committees to conduct their decision making in public has been tested in court.

It’s a critically important win, and a clear reminder of the importance of an independent judiciary, a third branch of government willing to hold the legislative and executive branch accountable.

Article 3 Section 12, of the Hawaiʻi State Constitution provides that “[e]very meeting of a committee . . . held for the purpose of making decision on matters referred to the committees shall be open to the public.” 

The 8 citizen plaintiffs: Former state Sen. Laura Acasio, Kaʻapunialiʻiona Lanikiʻekiʻe Kanaloa Aiwohi, Sergio Josephus Alcubilla III, Tanya Aynessazian, Douglas L. Cobeen, Karen K. Cobeen, Michaela Ilikeamoana Ikeuchi, and Robert Hale Pahia – deserve a huge MAHALO from all of us.

Mahalo plenty as well to the amazing legal team of attorneys Bianca Isaki and Lance Collins. They took on this case well over a year ago, and have donated hundreds of hours of research and legal consultation.

On May 29th they presented arguments to the court that were succinct, articulate, and on point.

Judge Ashford listened intently to both sides, asked relevant questions, and then announced his decision two days later….

For specifics and background read Secret meetings in secret rooms making secrets decisions

Note: I first wrote about this constitutional provision in 2017, Hawaiʻi State Senate and House regularly violate the State Constitution – or not? And so yes…it feels good to be proven right even if it has taken 9 years to get here.

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PDF: Court Order  "Plaintiffs do not ask the Court to declare that all future committee meetings must be open, to enjoin the House from conducting any particular meeting in private, or to pass on whether other gatherings—caucuses, working groups, informal discussion among members—satisfy Article III, section 12. They ask for one thing: a declaration that the closure of the January 2, 2025, meeting of the Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedure violated the Hawaiʻi Constitution. The Court’s inquiry is correspondingly limited."

K: HOOSER: Acasio v Hawaii House — What happened on May 1? - Kaumakani Kauai County Hawaii