Legislature Needs More Time To Deal With Increasingly Packed Agendas
Hawaii lawmakers pushed through a number of needed issues over 60 session days, but many other growing challenges simply weren’t addressed.
Hawaii Lawmakers Quietly Dole Out Millions of Dollars in Grants
The public is largely shut out of the state’s grants-in-aid process — and so are some of the nonprofit organizations asking for money.
Senate Shakeup Continues With New Leadership Lineup
Lawmakers who backed Kouchi get top jobs while Kim supporters are mostly sidelined.
Ian Lind: Still No Love for Public Interest Bills at Hawaii Legislature
Many long overdue reforms aimed at making government more transparent and accountable died — again.
Hawaii Legislature Passes $26B Budget, 100% Renewable Energy Goal
Other measures criminalize sex trafficking and ban some forms of discrimination against medical marijuana patients.
Kouchi Takes Gavel as New Senate President After ‘Bloodless Coup’
Senators vague on reasons for leadership change but promise a “new direction.”
A Rundown of Survivors and Casualties at the Hawaii Legislature
Rail tax, Alii Place, Turtle Bay and autism bills advance. Payday loans, adult care home reform, school bullying and public housing bills die.
Care Home Bill Fails to Advance Despite Pleas
The measure might have brought married couples together, but risked displacing Medicaid recipients in favor of private-pay clients.
Plan to Retool Unfunded Liability Mandate Rejected
Hawaii will continue plugging the multi-billion-dollar hole by steadily increasing payments to fully pre-fund employee health benefits.
Hawaii Senator Offers Poetic Recap of 2015 Session
With the legislative session drawing to a close next week, Sen. Will Espero delivered a poem summing it all up.