Perhaps you’ve heard about the trouble that Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi finds himself in due to liberal use of his government-issued purchasing credit car, or pCard for short.

Hostess bar tabs. A surfboard. A bike.

The state Office of Information Practices is now offering advice to government agencies “in light of numerous inquiries about the disclosure” of pCard usage by government employees.

OIP “generally” advises agencies to disclose unredacted records to requesters, “because all purchases made on the cards are supposed to be justified as work-related expenses. In rare circumstances, there may be confidential information that should be redacted because of a significant privacy interest, such as medical information.”

Flickr: Andres Rueda

Also included under the redacted category are vendor taxpayer ID numbers and a person’s Social Security number.

OIP explains that pCard usage — OIP calls them “P-Cards” — is distinguished from personal credit card reimbursements sought by employees for work expenses.

In the later instance, “it is proper to redact all personal or confidential information on the personal credit card invoices, such as all non-work related purchases, personal address, credit card number, interest rates, balances, payments due, and rewards points.”

Got it? Good.

Now, read this related story, Hawaii Charge Card Scandal Prompts Honolulu to Release Info on Its Cards.

And listen to this one, Pod Squad: Why Hawaii Mayor Billy Kenoi Should Resign.