(a) A person shall be in contempt if the person:

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-14

  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Investigating committee: means any of the following which are authorized to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses or the production of books, records, papers, and documents for the purpose of securing information on a specific subject for the use of the legislature:

    (1) A standing or special or select committee or committee of the whole of either house of the legislature;
    (2) A joint committee of both houses;
    (3) An authorized subcommittee of a legislative committee; and
    (4) Any body created by law, the members of which may include nonlegislators. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-2
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
(1) Fails or refuses to appear in compliance with a subpoena or, having appeared, fails or refuses to testify under oath or affirmation;
(2) Fails or refuses to answer any relevant question or fails or refuses to furnish any relevant book, paper, or other document subpoenaed by or on behalf of an investigating committee; or
(3) Commits any other act or offense against an investigating committee which, if committed against the legislature or either house thereof, would constitute a contempt.
(b) An investigating committee may, by majority vote of all its members, report to the legislature or the house thereof by which it was established, any instance of alleged contempt. The president or speaker shall certify a statement of such contempt under the president’s or speaker’s signature as president or speaker, as the case may be, to the attorney general who shall prosecute the offender in any court of the State. If the legislature is not in session, a statement of the alleged contempt shall be certified by the chairperson or acting chairperson of the committee concerned, under the chairperson’s or acting chairperson’s signature, to the attorney general who shall prosecute the offender as aforesaid. An instance of alleged contempt shall be considered as though committed in or against such house or the legislature itself.

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