Press Release: Honolulu City Council to Review Bill 46 Restoring Media Access to HPD Radio Communications
HONOLULU — Today, the Honolulu City Council will review Bill 46, a proposed legislation designed to restore limited access to Honolulu Police Department (HPD) radio communications for news media outlets. This bill, introduced by Council Chair Tommy Waters and Council Member Augie Tulba, has gained attention following the encryption of police and firefighter radio communications in 2022, which cut off access to news organizations and the public.
If approved, Bill 46 would mandate HPD’s police chief to create a strategic plan ensuring timely public information release to media. It also outlines that only organizations – with a valid FCC broadcast license or recognized as a legal publication under state law – can access HPD communications. Importantly, these outlets must have a proven record in professional journalism, including a decade of continuous operation.
However, the bill has faced opposition. HPD Interim Chief Rade K. Vanic has withdrawn his initial support, citing legal and ethical concerns. He emphasized the inclusion of sensitive information in dispatch communications and argued that media representatives are not adequately vetted to handle such data. Vanic suggested he would reconsider his stance if the requirement for written agreements with media outlets was removed.
Despite the pushback, media representatives, including Honolulu Star-Advertiser President Dennis Francis, have endorsed Bill 46. Francis pointed to a successful agreement in Las Vegas as a viable model for balancing public safety transparency while protecting sensitive information.
The City Council meeting is set to begin at 10 a.m. at 530 S. King St., where this critical issue for public transparency and safety will be further discussed.
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