Article 16

GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

CIVIL SERVICE

Section 1. The employment of persons in the civil service, as defined by law, of or under the State, shall be governed by the merit principle. [Ren Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM

Section 2. Membership in any employees' retirement system of the State or any political subdivision thereof shall be a contractual relationship, the accrued benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired. [Ren Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

DISQUALIFICATIONS FROM PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT

Section 3. No person shall hold any public office or employment who has been convicted of any act to overthrow, or attempt to overthrow, or conspiracy with any person to overthrow the government of this State or of the United States by force or violence. [Am Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

OATH OF OFFICE

Section 4. All eligible public officers, before entering upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Hawaii, and that I will faithfully discharge my duties as ... to best of my ability." As used in this section, "eligible public officers" means the governor, the lieutenant governor, the members of both houses of the legislature, the members of the board of education, the members of the national guard, State or county employees who possess police powers, district court judges, and all those whose appointment requires the consent of the senate. [Ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978; am SB 1440 (1992) and election Nov 3, 1992]

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

Section 5. The legislature may provide for cooperation on the part of this State and its political subdivisions with the United States, or other states and territories, or their political subdivisions, in matters affecting the public health, safety and general welfare. Funds may be appropriated to effect such cooperation. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

FEDERAL LANDS

Section 6. The United States shall be vested with or retain title to or an interest in or shall hold the property in the Territory of Hawaii set aside for the use of the United States and remaining so set aside immediately prior to the admission of this State, in all respects as and to the extent set forth in the act or resolution providing for the admission of this State to the Union. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST

Section 7. Any trust provisions which the Congress shall impose, upon the admission of this State, in respect of the lands patented to the State by the United States or the proceeds and income therefrom, shall be complied with by appropriate legislation. Such legislation shall not diminish or limit the benefits of native Hawaiians under Section 4 of Article XII. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

ADMINISTRATION OF UNDISPOSED LANDS

Section 8. All provisions of the Act of Congress approved March 18, 1959 reserving rights or powers to the United States, as well as those prescribing the terms or conditions of the grants of lands or other property therein made to the State of Hawaii are consented to fully by the State and its people. [Am 73 Stat 4 and election June 27, 1959; ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

TAX EXEMPTION OF FEDERAL PROPERTY

Section 9. No taxes shall be imposed by the State upon any lands or other property now owned or hereafter acquired by the United States, except as the same shall become taxable by reason of disposition thereof by the United States or by reason of the consent of the United States to such taxation. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK

Section 10. All provisions of the act or resolution admitting this State to the Union, or providing for such admission, which reserve to the United States jurisdiction of Hawaii National Park, or the ownership or control of lands within Hawaii National Park, are consented to fully by the State and its people. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

JUDICIAL RIGHTS

Section 11. All those provisions of the act or resolution admitting this State to the Union, or providing for such admission, which reserve to the United States judicial rights or powers are consented to fully by the State and its people; and those provisions of such act or resolution which preserve judicial rights and powers for the State are hereby accepted and adopted, and such rights and powers are hereby assumed, to be exercised and discharged pursuant to this constitution and the laws of the State. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

QUIETING TITLE

Section 12. No person shall be deprived of title to an estate or interest in real property by another person claiming actual, continuous, hostile, exclusive, open and notorious possession of such lands, except to real property of five acres or less. Such claim may be asserted in good faith by any person not more than once in twenty years. [Add Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

PLAIN LANGUAGE

Section 13. Insofar as practicable, all governmental writing meant for the public, in whatever language, should be plainly worded, avoiding the use of technical terms. [Add Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

TITLES, SUBTITLES; CONSTRUCTION

Section 14. Titles and subtitles shall not be used for purposes of construing this constitution. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

GENERAL POWER

Section 15. The enumeration in this constitution of specified powers shall not be construed as limitations upon the power of the State to provide for the general welfare of the people. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

PROVISIONS ARE SELF-EXECUTING

Section 16. The provisions of this constitution shall be self-executing to the fullest extent that their respective natures permit. [Ren Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]