  The spectrum of electronic states at 30000--33000 cm$^{-1}$ in hafnium
fluoride has been studied using (1+1) resonance-enhanced multi-photon
ionization (REMPI) and (1+1$'$) REMPI. Six $\Omega' = 3/2$ and ten $\Pi_{1/2}$
vibronic bands have been characterized. We report the molecular constants for
these bands and estimate the electronic energies of the excited states using a
correction derived from the observed isotope shifts. When either of two closely
spaced $\Pi_{1/2}$ electronic states is used as an intermediate state to access
autoionizing Rydberg levels, qualitatively distinct autoionization spectra are
observed. The intermediate state-specificity of the autoionization spectra
bodes well for the possibility of using a selected $\Pi_{1/2}$ state as an
intermediate state to create ionic HfF$^+$ in various selected quantum states,
an important requirement for our electron electric dipole moment (eEDM) search
in HfF$^+$.
