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There’s been a lot of talk over the years about making government more transparent, more inclusive, more efficient and more accountable, but this year the Hawaii Legislature might actually implement real change. We’re now down to the wire and good government advocates appear to be batting well.

The last of the conference committee meetings wrapped up Friday. All that’s left are floor sessions next week before the Legislature adjourns on May 2.

Lawmakers passed the budget this week, days ahead of schedule and with none of the hostage holding that held up timely passage as in previous sessions.

And a key bill that foreshadowed this year’s more progressive Legislature has been signed into law: emergency contraception for female sexual assault victims.

But, in spite of progress, the public has also seen the birth of a new kind of “gut and replace” measure — Frankenstein bills. Critics rightly complain that these hybrid measures are crafted with little public input.

Perhaps one of the sharpest tools to promote government accountability is a strong shield law, protecting journalists from revealing their notes and confidential sources.

But the latest iteration that lawmakers agreed to in conference committee is riddled with so many outdated definitions, holes and exceptions that the local media just want the bill to die.

In the meantime, here are 10 more stories you won’t want to have missed:

• Bursting at the Seams: Skyrocketing Enrollment Crowds Campbell High Classrooms
• Campbell High School: ‘It’s A Cinderblock Oven’
• National Political Analysts Give Schatz The Edge
• Handicapping The Race To Replace Hanabusa
• Hawaii Teacher: Our Kids Need A Better Foundation To Become Future Leaders
• Media To Lawmakers: Kill The Hawaii Shield Law
• Who Can Survive On The Minimum Wage?
• Hawaii Auditor: State Oversight Of Mainland Prisons Still Lagging
• FOCUS: Meet Pake Zane, The Antique Adventurer
• Bills Gone Wild: Frankenstein And Gut-N-Replace At The Capitol