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HRS §122A-11

When the governor can call up the state defense force

This section lets the governor call the Hawaii state defense force into active state service during serious emergencies like invasion, riots, disasters, or when civil authorities cannot keep order. The call lasts only as long as the emergency condition continues.

state agencies

The statute, as written — Employment

Whenever the governor determines that, because of invasion, insurrection, riot, civil disorder, unlawful combination or conspiracy, catastrophe, natural or human caused disaster, or imminent danger thereof, the public safety and order cannot be preserved or the laws cannot be enforced by the civil authorities or the national guard, or as otherwise provided by law, the governor may call the Hawaii state defense force, or such part of it as may be required, into the active service of the State for the duration of the condition which required its call.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.