Let’s Remove Obstacles That Keep Citizens From Getting Government Records
Some bills before the Legislature would help -- for instance, by reducing copying fees. Others are bad ideas that would blow holes in the public's right to know.
February 27, 2022
Karl Rhoads, the state senator whose district includes downtown, Chinatown, Palama, Iwilei and Liliha, was approached by a constituent some years ago asking for help.c
The constituent, a resident of the affordable-housing complex at Mayor Wright Homes, had lost a son in a police shooting that was determined to be a case of justifiable homicide. Could Rhoads help him get a copy of the police report?
“It was unbelievably difficult to get the closing report, and even with my help it took seven years,” Rhoads explained, adding that it was not the first time he had been approached regarding public records.
Rhoads is the author of Senate Bill 3252, which would waive copying costs for the first 100 pages of government records if disclosure is in the public’s interest. The charge — including the cost of agency staff searching for and reviewing the records — would be capped at a reasonable level.
And there would be no charge if the records are in electronic form such as an Excel spreadsheet. Rather than print out each page and charge for it, government workers can just attach the files to emails and hit “send.”
Rhoads’ report on the bill, which passed his Judiciary Committee Feb. 16, stated that public records laws “provide a critical mechanism” to maintain government accountability and transparency and “support citizen involvement in government decision-making. The real-world consequences of restricting access to that information can range from serious to routine but, in all cases, result in a less informed citizenry. Fee waivers offer a simple and flexible solution.”
