94-16

Posted on Sep 2, 1994 in Formal Opinions

Opinion Letter No. 94-16
September 2, 1994
Confidential Records May Be Disclosed to Maui County Council

The OIP provided the Finance Committee of the Maui County Council with general guidance concerning whether records that are otherwise confidential under the UIPA may be disclosed to the Maui County Council, or council committees.

The UIPA restricts the inter-agency disclosure of otherwise confidential government records. However, the OIP instructed the Maui County Council that under section 92F-19(a)(8), Hawaii Revised Statutes, a Maui County agency may disclose otherwise confidential government records to the Maui County Council or a committee, unless the records in question are protected from disclosure by specific State statutes. The Maui County Council is under the same restrictions as the agency disclosing the records.

The UIPA’s restrictions on the inter-agency disclosure of confidential records were intended to make government accountable to individuals in the collection and dissemination of information about them.

full text