Haw. Rev. Stat. » Haw. Rev. Stat. / Chapter 84
Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 84-3 (2026)

  Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §84-3  Definitions.

     "Business" includes a corporation, a partnership, a sole proprietorship, a trust or foundation, or any other individual or organization carrying on a business, whether or not operated for profit.

     "Compensation" means any money, thing of value, or economic benefit conferred on or received by any person in return for services rendered or to be rendered by oneself or another.

     "Controlling interest" means an interest in a business or other undertaking which is sufficient in fact to control, whether the interest be greater or less than fifty per cent.

     "Employee" means any nominated, appointed, or elected officer or employee of the State, including members of boards, commissions, and committees, and employees under contract to the State or of the constitutional convention, but excluding legislators, delegates to the constitutional convention, justices and judges.

     "Employment" means any rendering of services for compensation.

     "Financial interest" means an interest held by an individual, the individual's spouse, or dependent children which is:

     (1)  An ownership interest in a business.

     (2)  A creditor interest in an insolvent business.

     (3)  An employment, or prospective employment for which negotiations have begun.

     (4)  An ownership interest in real or personal property.

     (5)  A loan or other debtor interest.

     (6)  A directorship or officership in a business.

     "Official act" or "official action" means a decision, recommendation, approval, disapproval, or other action, including inaction, which involves the use of discretionary authority.

     "Official authority" includes administrative or legislative powers of decision, recommendation, approval, disapproval, or other discretionary action.

     "State agency" includes the State, the legislature and its committees, all executive departments, boards, commissions, committees, bureaus, offices, the University of Hawaii, and all independent commissions and other establishments of the state government but excluding the courts.

     "Task force" means a group convened by resolution, statute, executive order, proclamation, or by invitation of the legislature, governor, or another state officer, to study a specific subject or issue, for a specific defined period of time, and to report to, offer a recommendation to, or advise the legislature, governor, or a state officer. [L 1972, c 163, pt of §1; am L 1978, c 245, §1; am L 1979, c 91, §4; gen ch 1985; am L 2012, c 208, §2]

 

Revision Note

 

  Definitions restyled.

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1976–2025 · leading case: Boyd v. Hawaii State Ethics Comm'n., 378 P.3d 934 (Haw. 2016).
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Boyd v. Hawaii State Ethics Comm'n., 378 P.3d 934 (Haw. 2016). · cites it 10× “The Commission determined that the code of ethics applied to all State employees, except judges and justices, 8 and that Connections was a State agency as defined in HRS § 84-3 (1993). 9 The Commission thus concluded that, as an employee of Connections, a State agency, Boyd was…”
Tangen v. State Ethics Comm'n, 550 P.2d 1275 (Haw. 1976). · cites it 6× “” HRS § 84-3 defines “business” and “financial interest”, as follows: “‘Business’ includes a corporation, a partnership, a sole proprietorship, or any other individual or organization carrying on a business.”
Hawaii Elec. Light Co. v. Dep't of Land & Nat. Resources, 75 P.3d 160 (Haw. 2003). · cites it 2× “” HRS § 84-3 (1993) (emphasis added). 18 . We do not address Cooper's and Ratliff and KDC's argument that HELCO’s application required the signatures of the Board and DHHL.”
Liberty Dialysis-Hawaii, LLC v. Rainbow Dialysis, LLC., 306 P.3d 140 (Haw. 2013). · cites it 2× “DOH also promulgated practice and procedure rule HAR § 11-1-25, which, as related previously, provides: § 11-1-25 Disqualification, (a) A hearings officer, director, or member of an attached entity is disqualified from hearing or deciding a contested case if the hearings…”
Boyd v. Hawai'i State Ethics Comm'n, 358 P.3d 709 (Haw. App. 2015). · cites it 10× “The circuit court, however, reversed the Commission’s determination that Boyd had violated HRS § 84-14(d) (Counts 10-20) and held that the Commission failed to find that Boyd “received money in return for, or in exchange for, the act of signing the Food Service Certificates^]”…”
Akana v. Hawai'i State Ethics Comm'n. ICA mem. op., filed 01/22/2024 [ada], 153 Haw. 523. Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 04/16/2024. S.Ct. Order Accepting Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 06/10/2024 [ada]. (Haw. 2025). · cites it 4× “” HRS § 84-3 (2012). While legislators, judges, and constitutional convention delegates are expressly excluded from this definition, OHA trustees are not, suggesting their inclusion as “employee[s]” under HRS chapter 84.”
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