Even if the law was not passed until 1982, and I'm not sure that the 1982 at the bottom of that section indicates that the law was first passed in 1982, or just updated in some way in that year, it clearly applies to births occurring well before 1982, and even before 1959, when the Territory of Hawaii became the state of Hawaii.
[§338-17.8] Certificates for children born out of State.
(a) Upon application of an adult or the legal parents of a minor child, the director of health shall issue a birth certificate for such adult or minor, provided that proof has been submitted to the director of health that the legal parents of such individual while living without the Territory or State of Hawaii had declared the Territory or State of Hawaii as their legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of such child.
Why bother to mention births outside the Territory if the law did not cover births prior to 1982?
That's exactly what it means.
or just updated in some way in that year,
Then it would show an amendment in 1982, but it would still show the original date of passage. For example, another law on the Hawaii books has the following at the end:
[L 1973, c 39, §1; am L 1975, c 66, §2(3); am L 1979, c 130, §1 and c 203, §1; am L 1982, c 4, §1; am L 1983, c 65, §1; am L 1984, c 167, §1; am L 1993, c 131, §2]
The original passage is recorded as 1973, and every subsequent amendement is listed. You can check out the text of the law here:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol06_Ch0321-0344/HRS0338/HRS_0338-0017_0007.htm
it clearly applies to births occurring well before 1982, and even before 1959, when the Territory of Hawaii became the state of Hawaii.
Sure. As of 1982, you could register a foriegn birth with the state of Hawaii, even if the birth came before 1982. Obama's birth, however, was registered in 1961, so this obviously does not apply to him.