SB 767 Summary

• Prohibits the Governor or any Mayor from suspending agency response deadlines for public records requests under Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act (Chapter 92F) or vital records requests (Section 338-18) during a declared state of emergency.

• Allows agencies to experience reasonable delays in responding to records requests only when extenuating circumstances exist, but agencies cannot reject requests outright at any time, regardless of emergency status.

• Amends Section 127A-13 to clarify that the Governor's and Mayor's broad emergency suspension powers are subject to the new restrictions on suspending public records and vital statistics deadlines.

• Addresses concerns about the COVID-19 emergency period when former Governor Ige's proclamation suspended the Uniform Information Practices Act, preventing citizens from accessing public records and creating a 40 percent backlog increase at the Office of Information Practices.