HONOLULU (KHON2) — There have been at least seven red placards issued to local restaurants since 2024 began but there is no easy way to access the inspection reports that prompted them.
The State said their website that used to post the reports will not be available again until July — lawmakers who oversee the DOH said they were never informed.
The DOH used to have a function on its website that let the public view restaurant inspection reports by searching the establishments name and viewing their placard history whether it was good or bad. Their contract with the vendor who operated that service has been expired since 2024 began and that was something the House Health Committee on Health & Homelessness was not happy to hear.
“We enacted the laws that required them to inform and be transparent with the public. I was disappointed to see that we were not informed and also that the delay in time between when they stopped and why they have not yet issued the contract,” House Health Committee chair Rep. Della Belatti said.
“If we can’t see the updates of what’s happening within our own restaurants statewide, that’s a problem. It really is,” said House Health Committee member Rep. Diamond Garcia, “and the public should have a place to go where they can search up a restaurant name or whatever and see the history.”
Chair Belatti even went through another section of the DOH website to find press releases that were posted when restaurants were issued red placards in 2024.
“At least seven restaurants that have been issued red placards,” she said, “there have also been three of those restaurants that have been reopened.”
Copies of inspection reports are still available if the public calls or emails the Food Safety Branch.
“You know, it’s not really on the public to have to go in and investigate,” Rep. Belatti said.
“Those things need to be updated and people shouldn’t have to call to get information, those things need to be alerted to the public,” Rep. Garcia said.
The Department of Health Food Safety Branch program manager said through a statement:
“Even though the e-system has been down since December 31, 2023 (when the existing vendor’s contract expired), the Food Safety Branch (FSB) saw no interruption in opening new food establishments, conducting routine and complaint inspections, and continued issuance of Placards (Green, Yellow, or Red).”
Peter Oshiro, Department of Health Food Safety Branch program manager
Kuhio Ave Food Hall — which has their green placard displayed — confirmed that inspections are still happening regularly and added that restaurants need to display their current safety placard by law.
“And if the general public goes to an establishment, they should feel confident that there should be a placard in the window of the restaurant. If there isn’t, that would be cause for concern,” Kuhio Ave Food Hall owner Mike Palmer said.
The DOH said its new contract for a different vendor will be in place by May, 2024 and the website will be live once again in July, 2024.
