AP: New Hawaii law shuns Obama birth document requests

[JMS]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/..._certificate_2

HONOLULU – It's now law in Hawaii that the state government can ignore repetitive requests for President Barack Obama's birth certificate.
Republican Gov. Linda Lingle signed into law Wednesday a bill allowing state government agencies not to respond to follow-up requests for information if they determine that the subsequent request is duplicative or substantially similar to a previous request.
The law is aimed at so-called "birthers," who claim Obama is ineligible to be president. They contend the Democratic president was born outside the United States, and therefore doesn't meet a constitutional requirement for being president.
Lingle didn't elaborate on her reasons for signing the bill, but state Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino previously issued statements saying that she's seen vital records that prove Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen.
Both Fukino and the state registrar of vital statistics have verified that the Health Department holds Obama's original birth certificate.
Health Department officials supported the law because the state still gets between 10 and 20 e-mails seeking verification of Obama's birth each week, most of them from outside Hawaii.
A few of those requesters file repeated inquiries seeking the same information, even after they're told state law bars release of a certified birth certificate to anyone who does not have a tangible interest.
Advocates for openness in government oppose the law because they fear it could be used to ignore legitimate requests for information.

[Kosher Ham]

At this point I don't care if he is from Russia. America voted him in as the President.

[AsburySkinsFan]

So basically the law is now in Hawaii that the Health Department can ignore requests for information that they are prohibited by law from releasing in the first place.

Sounds reasonable to me, but hey what do I know.

[Zguy28]

So basically the law is now in Hawaii that the Health Department can ignore requests for information that they are prohibited by law from releasing in the first place.

Sounds reasonable to me, but hey what do I know.

Previously they had to at least reply. The only problem is that it could lead to people just ignoring requests they don't like for whatever reason and it would just disappear into a black hole.

[aREDSKIN]

The only problem is that it could lead to people just ignoring requests they don't like for whatever reason and it would just disappear into a black hole.

Just like what Obama's doing.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Previously they had to at least reply. The only problem is that it could lead to people just ignoring requests they don't like for whatever reason and it would just disappear into a black hole.

Oh please, this law is specific to the Obama birth certificate, not an open door to ignore any request they don't like, please don't invoke the slippery slope argument here as this law prevents it.

[Zguy28]

Oh please, this law is specific to the Obama birth certificate, not an open door to ignore any request they don't like, please don't invoke the slippery slope argument here as this law prevents it.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...igned-into-law

The new law, Act 100, allows state agencies a limited exemption from Freedom of Information requirements when duplicative requests for information are made by the same person. Although the law covers all agencies, the measure targets people who repeatedly request a copy of Obama's Hawai'i birth certificate.

It's specific target may have been the birther loons, but that's not its scope.

I'm searching for the actual text of the law right now, but cannot find it on the interwebz.

[JMS]

So basically the law is now in Hawaii that the Health Department can ignore requests for information that they are prohibited by law from releasing in the first place.

Sounds reasonable to me, but hey what do I know.

No I think the law is that Hawaii can ignore requests for data, to which they've already responded to. I think Hawaii is getting pumelled with requests for Obama's documentation and they are saying If it's been asked and answered they are going to stop responding...

I wonder why the Republican Gov of Hawaii would sign a bill to cover up Obama's birth controversy? Obviously because she doesn't think it's a controversy but a pain in her neck.

[JMS]

Oh please, this law is specific to the Obama birth certificate, not an open door to ignore any request they don't like, please don't invoke the slippery slope argument here as this law prevents it.

Not exactly... I read it as an open door. Not to ignore requests for information, but to ignore multiple requests for information from the same guy, who doesn't like the answer the state is giving.

[AsburySkinsFan]

"duplicative requests for information are made by the same person".

They said no once, now they can ignore you.

[Larry]

"duplicative requests for information are made by the same person".

They said no once, now they can ignore you.

I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means "no".

[ross3909]

This seems to be pretty easy for the President, produce your birth certificate. Up to this point he has only produced an invalid COLB (Certificate of Live Birth) that was altered making it, well invalid. However, the law says that not only does the President have to be born in the US, both his parents must have been US citizens at the time also, hence the term "Naturalized". I have yet to see evidence that proves that Obama's father was ever a legal citizen of the United States, this is a problem. I can understand that Obama just does not want to be bothered by all of this, but in the process of fighting these "false claims", he has spent $1.7 million. If I was innocent of something, I would just produce the proof not drop a bunch of cash to fight it. I don't have an idea what the truth is, but people who just listen to commentators to get their opinions might as well be lemmings.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means "no".

I love that line!
What's bad is that the people making these repeated requests are simply doing so as an annoyance to the state of Hawaii because they know full well that they aren't going to suddenly get an approval, so they just settle with wasting Hawaiian tax payer money, which is very patriotic and fiscally responsible.

[China]

Here, I found his birth certificate:



Everyone satisfied?

[AsburySkinsFan]

This seems to be pretty easy for the President, produce your birth certificate. Up to this point he has only produced an invalid COLB (Certificate of Live Birth) that was altered making it, well invalid. However, the law says that not only does the President have to be born in the US, both his parents must have been US citizens at the time also, hence the term "Naturalized". I have yet to see evidence that proves that Obama's father was ever a legal citizen of the United States, this is a problem. I can understand that Obama just does not want to be bothered by all of this, but in the process of fighting these "false claims", he has spent $1.7 million. If I was innocent of something, I would just produce the proof not drop a bunch of cash to fight it. I don't have an idea what the truth is, but people who just listen to commentators to get their opinions might as well be lemmings.

Stop it, just stop it. A COLB is EXACTLY what the Commonwealth of Virginia issues for Birth Certificate requests an NO ONE questions them so just quit...stop it...stop it...stop it.