Ombudsman

Hawaii Office of the Ombudsman

HIOM

77/100

Summary

The Hawaii Ombudsman is a constitutional officer appointed by a majority vote of the combined membership of both houses of the Legislature to a six-year term. The office investigates complaints against state and county agencies and officers. This is one of the strongest state ombudsman offices due to its constitutional foundation.

Independence Scorecard

Independence Score: 77/100 (good)
77/100
Moderate
Methodology v0.1
AppointmentSupermajority legislative appointment
Term length6 years
Removal standardFor cause only
Budget independenceLegislative line item
Subpoena powerYes
Compel testimonyYes
Records accessFull access
Public reports requiredYes
Pre-publication reviewNone — reports published directly

Statute

Name
Hawaii Constitution, Article XI, Section 10 (Ombudsman); Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 96
Citation
Haw. Const. art. XI, § 10; Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 96-1 to 96-18
Full text
Full text of law →

Jurisdiction scope

All state and county agencies and officers