Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission

The Commission enforces the State Ethics Code (HRS chapter 84) and the State Lobbyist Law (HRS chapter 97). Our jurisdiction is limited to state elected officials, state employees, members of state boards and commissions, and lobbyists and organizations that lobby at the state level.

Types of issues we handle include:  gifts & gift reporting, use or disclosure of confidential information, fair treatment, nepotism, conflicts of interests, contract restrictions, financial disclosures, post-employment restrictions, failure to register as a lobbyist, failure to report lobbying expenditures, prohibited lobbying gifts or campaign donations.

We do not have legal authority to investigate complaints against federal or county government employees. If you have a complaint about a county employee, please contact the relevant county ethics agency or board.

We do not handle general complaints against private individuals and companies such as:

• Landlord/tenant disputes
• Complaints against federal or state court judges, and private practice attorneys
• Unfair trade practices and consumer fraud complaints
• General government assistance fraud claims (e.g., food stamps, Medicaid, etc.)
• Complaints against private medical doctors and health care providers
• Civil rights and police misconduct claims
• Employment-related claims (such as general harassment, discrimination, etc.)

Please see Related Resources for agencies that may be able to assist you on such claims.

Please use the online complaint form which is the easiest and quickest way to file a confidential complaint with our office. You can also lodge a report by phone (808-587-0460), email ([email protected]), or mail (1001 Bishop Street, #970, Honolulu, HI 96813).

When filing a complaint, please provide specific information including:

• the name of the alleged violator and contact information;
• the nature of the alleged violation (including when it occurred and a short summary of the key facts); and
• any supporting evidence (including possible witnesses and supporting documents).

Yes. By law, all investigations regarding potential violations of the State Ethics Code or the State Lobbyist law are conducted on a confidential basis, so if you report a potential violation, your identity will not be disclosed. To ensure the integrity of the investigation, we are not permitted to disclose the status of our investigations and enforcement actions, except in cases where formal charges are issued by the Commission and the matter proceeds to a contested case hearing.

Yes. If you use the online form, you may enter an alias name and email address if you prefer to remain anonymous. If you do not provide sufficient contact information, the Commission may not be able to verify your allegations and proceed with the investigation.

Commission staff will conduct a preliminary review of the complaint to determine if it falls within our jurisdiction, and where appropriate, may request Commission approval to initiate a formal investigation with the power to subpoena witnesses and documents.

If the complaint does not fall within our jurisdiction or does not warrant further action, the Commission may close the matter, or refer the complaint to another agency, if appropriate.

If there is evidence of a violation, a complaint may lead to an administrative enforcement action in which the Commission issues a formal Charge against the alleged violator. The Commission also has the authority to issue notices of violation in cases where the assessed fine is under $1000.

The Commission has the authority to assess administrative fines and other administrative penalties. Following a contested case hearing and the issuance of a Decision and Order, the Commission may also refer the matter to the State Attorney General to pursue other legal and equitable remedies relating to state contracts, or any fee, compensation, gifts, or profits that have been obtained in violation of the State Ethics Code.

Most cases, however, are resolved via public settlement prior to a contested case hearing. See Public Dataset for prior settlements and decisions.

Where appropriate, the Commission or its staff may choose to issue a guidance letter to a state employee or state agency instead of taking further enforcement action.