Haw. Rev. Stat. » Haw. Rev. Stat. / Chapter 489
Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 489-1 (2026)

]  Purpose; construction

✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section HI-LEGcapitol.hawaii.gov JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

PART I.  GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Note

 

  Sections 489-1 to 489-8 designated as Part I by L 2000, c 227, §3.

 

Law Journals and Reviews

 

  Airbnb in Paradise:  Updating Hawai`i's Legal Approach Towards Racial Discrimination in the Sharing Economy.  39 UH L. Rev. 435 (2017).

 

     [§489-1]  Purpose; construction.  (a)  The purpose of this chapter is to protect the interests, rights, and privileges of all persons within the State with regard to access and use of public accommodations by prohibiting unfair discrimination.

     (b)  This chapter shall be liberally construed to further the purposes stated in subsection (a). [L 1986, c 292, pt of §1]

 

Cross References

 

  Civil rights commission, see chapter 368.

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2000–2025 · leading case: State v. Hoshijo Ex Rel. White, 76 P.3d 550 (Haw. 2003).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
State v. Hoshijo Ex Rel. White, 76 P.3d 550 (Haw. 2003). · cites it 4× “Construing HRS chapter 489, which is to "be liberally construed[,]" HRS § 489-1(b) (1993), in light of Title II legislative history, we conclude liability attaches to a person that is an owner, operator, lessee, agent, or employee of a public accommodation.”
Cervelli v. Aloha Bed & Breakfast, 415 P.3d 919 (Haw. App. 2018). · cites it 6× “As noted, through HRS § 489-1, the Legislature mandated that HRS Chapter 489 shall be liberally construed to further its purposes of protecting people's rights to access and to use public accommodations by prohibiting unfair discrimination.”
Parr v. L & L Drive-Inn Restaurant, 96 F. Supp. 2d 1065 (D. Haw. 2000). “Hawaii Revised Statutes (“HRS”) §§ 489-1(a), 489-3, 489-6, 368-1, and 368-11.”
Epileptic Found. v. City & Cnty. of Maui, 300 F. Supp. 2d 1003 (D. Haw. 2004). · cites it 2× “” Haw.Rev. Stat. § 489-1 (2002). The applicable section, 489-5, provides in relevant part: It is discriminatory practice to deny a person the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of a place of public…”
Greer v. Hawaii Permanente Med. Grp., Inc. (D. Haw. 2025). · cites it 3× “Here, exercising its discretion, the court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state law claim under HRS § 489-1 et seq. and DISMISSES the claim without prejudice.”
Scarlet Honolulu, Inc. v. Honolulu Liquor Comm'n (D. Haw. 2023). “§ 489-1. A place of public accommodation is defined as a “business, accommodation, refreshment, entertainment, recreation, or transportation facility of any kind whose goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations are extended, offered, sold, or…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 489-1(a) — 2 cases
Parr v. L & L Drive-Inn Restaurant, 96 F. Supp. 2d 1065 (D. Haw. 2000). “Hawaii Revised Statutes (“HRS”) §§ 489-1(a), 489-3, 489-6, 368-1, and 368-11.”
Cervelli v. Aloha Bed & Breakfast, 415 P.3d 919 (Haw. App. 2018). “As noted, through HRS § 489-1, the Legislature mandated that HRS Chapter 489 shall be liberally construed to further its purposes of protecting people's rights to access and to use public accommodations by prohibiting unfair discrimination.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 489-1(b) — 2 cases
State v. Hoshijo Ex Rel. White, 76 P.3d 550 (Haw. 2003). “Construing HRS chapter 489, which is to "be liberally construed[,]" HRS § 489-1(b) (1993), in light of Title II legislative history, we conclude liability attaches to a person that is an owner, operator, lessee, agent, or employee of a public accommodation.”
Cervelli v. Aloha Bed & Breakfast, 415 P.3d 919 (Haw. App. 2018). “As noted, through HRS § 489-1, the Legislature mandated that HRS Chapter 489 shall be liberally construed to further its purposes of protecting people's rights to access and to use public accommodations by prohibiting unfair discrimination.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.