http://hawaii.gov/ag/main/publications/admin_rules/subtitle_1/5-1.pdf This is the Administrative Rules for the Attorney General’s office. Note especially Subchapter 4, which deals with agency requests such as what Okubo told Mark Niesse her department was asking the AG for a “ruling” on. Subchapter 4 begins like this:
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Ҥ5-1-61 Petitions for adoption, amendment, or
repeal of rules.
(a) Any interested person or any
agency of the state or county government may petition
the department for the adoption, amendment,
modification, or repeal of any rule which is designed
to implement, interpret, or prescribe law, policy,
procedure, or practice requirements of the department.
(b) Petitions for rulemaking action shall
conform to the requirements of section 5-1-35. The
petition shall set forth the text of the proposed rule
or amendment desired or specify the rule the repeal of
which is desired, state concisely the nature of the
petitioner’s interest in the subject matter and the
reasons for seeking the adoption, amendment, or repeal
of the rule, and include any facts, views, arguments,
and data deemed relevant by the petitioner. The
department may also require the petitioner to serve
other persons or governmental agencies known to be
interested in the proposed rulemaking. No request for
the adoption, amendment, modification, or repeal of a
rule that does not conform to the requirements set
forth above shall be considered by the department.
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I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like it has to be written.
Okubo was asking for a ruling (legal opinion) on existing law. The section of Administrative Rules that you referenced has to do with adopting a new rule, amending an existing rule, or repealing an existing rule. I don’t see where that applies to asking the AG’s office for a decision on what the law says.