House Judiciary passes information practice abuse, battered husbands legislation
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee passed out a bill that would allow State agencies to request the Office of Information Practices to deny a request for public information to individuals who make multiple requests for the same information or abuse the records request process. The committee also passed out a resolution calling on the Department of Human Services to conduct a study of the prevalence of domestic abuse against men in Hawaii.
SB2937 RELATING TO INFORMATION PRACTICES
Senate Bill 2937, which was passed out by the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, would allow The Office of Information Practices, upon request by a state agency, to place limitations on a requester who abuses the process of making record requests under the Uniform Information Practices Act. The measure, which aims to target "vexatious requesters of public records," is supported by the Office of Information Practices and the Department of Health who have stated in public testimony before the Judiciary Committee that document and information requests are often made for the purpose of harassing a particular employee or agency. The Office of Information Practices also noted that under the current provisions of the UIPA, there is no authority to sanction persons who intentionally abuse the process.
Under Senate Bill 2397, a state agency would be allowed to request the Office of Information Practices to review instances where an individual submits multiple requests for the same documents. The agency would be required to thoroughly document a suspected case of abuse and to submit that information to the Office of Information Practices for review. A state agency would also be required to provide the requester with copies of the agency's submittals and the Office of Information Practices final decision.
HCR49 & HR11 DOMESTIC ABUSE PERPETRATED BY WOMEN AGAINST MEN
House Concurrent Resolution 49 and House Resolution 11 request the Department of Human Services to investigate the incidence of domestic abuse perpetrated by women against men in Hawaii. Studies show that roughly one out of every four women in the country will be physically assaulted or raped by an intimate partner at some point in their lives and are more likely to be assaulted, injured, raped, or killed by a male partner than by any other type of assailant. Estimates of assaults on women by partners range from approximately two to four million annually in the United States.
The subject of domestic violence is generally focused on the abuse suffered by women, but men are often victims of abuse. Studies indicate that in the United States, approximately 800,000 are abused each year. Research also suggests that many of these cases will go unreported due to the shame associated by those identifying themselves as a battered husband.
SB2937 RELATING TO INFORMATION PRACTICES
Senate Bill 2937, which was passed out by the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, would allow The Office of Information Practices, upon request by a state agency, to place limitations on a requester who abuses the process of making record requests under the Uniform Information Practices Act. The measure, which aims to target "vexatious requesters of public records," is supported by the Office of Information Practices and the Department of Health who have stated in public testimony before the Judiciary Committee that document and information requests are often made for the purpose of harassing a particular employee or agency. The Office of Information Practices also noted that under the current provisions of the UIPA, there is no authority to sanction persons who intentionally abuse the process.
Under Senate Bill 2397, a state agency would be allowed to request the Office of Information Practices to review instances where an individual submits multiple requests for the same documents. The agency would be required to thoroughly document a suspected case of abuse and to submit that information to the Office of Information Practices for review. A state agency would also be required to provide the requester with copies of the agency's submittals and the Office of Information Practices final decision.
HCR49 & HR11 DOMESTIC ABUSE PERPETRATED BY WOMEN AGAINST MEN
House Concurrent Resolution 49 and House Resolution 11 request the Department of Human Services to investigate the incidence of domestic abuse perpetrated by women against men in Hawaii. Studies show that roughly one out of every four women in the country will be physically assaulted or raped by an intimate partner at some point in their lives and are more likely to be assaulted, injured, raped, or killed by a male partner than by any other type of assailant. Estimates of assaults on women by partners range from approximately two to four million annually in the United States.
The subject of domestic violence is generally focused on the abuse suffered by women, but men are often victims of abuse. Studies indicate that in the United States, approximately 800,000 are abused each year. Research also suggests that many of these cases will go unreported due to the shame associated by those identifying themselves as a battered husband.