Our Mission

The Public Access Room (PAR) provides the public with information, facilities, and services to assist them as they participate in the State legislative process. This includes knowledge of how things work at the Capitol, as well as a physical location (room 401) for use by members of the public. PAR is a non-partisan office, and there is never a fee for services.

PAR History

During the 1989 Legislative session, the Legislature enacted SB 832 (Act 331, SLH 1989) to improve public access to legislative information, and then established PAR to provide the public with necessary resources for participation in the legislative process. It’s the first stop for Hawaii’s citizens when working with the Legislature – whether from home, office or at the Capitol.

Originally staffed and supported by community volunteers from public interest organizations, PAR began operating with permanent staff and year-round open-door services in 1994. In 1996, the PAR became a division of the non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB).

View a timeline highlighting some of our significant steps forward.

View Timeline