94-10
Posted on Jun 8, 1994 in Formal OpinionsOpinion Letter No. 94-10
June 8, 1994
Liquor License Petition Must Be Made Public
A petition protesting the issuance of a liquor license, submitted to the Honolulu Liquor Commission (Commission), must be made available for public inspection and copying under the UIPA. The OIP found that the petition involved in the facts presented was not specifically made public under section 281-14, Hawaii Revised Statutes, because the Commission had not yet issued, suspended, or revoked a license. Nevertheless, the OIP found that the public interest in disclosure outweighs the privacy interests of those signing the petition. Therefore, the OIP concluded that the petition was not protected from disclosure under the UIPA’s personal privacy exception.