OHA says better data is needed to tackle problems facing Native Hawaiians

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs wants the state to improve its data collection for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

A resolution backed by OHA calls for several public agencies, including county police departments, to release disaggregated data on Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders. The proposal is part of OHA’s 2021 legislative package and is awaiting introduction by House Speaker Scott Saiki.

The measure also calls for a task force to analyze and provide recommendations on how the state collects, processes, retains and shares demographic data.

A study from the Hawaiʻi Budget and Policy Center found the Judiciary maintains no race data and some segments of the Health Department provide very detailed race and ethnicity data.