Civil Beat Categories

Legislature 2016

Hawaii’s Black Market Ivory Trade Thriving Online, Groups Claim Flickr: Diana Robinson

Hawaii’s Black Market Ivory Trade Thriving Online, Groups Claim

Animal activists banded together at the Capitol on Thursday to release a new report and support two bills to regulate the ivory trade.

Smokers Take A Couple Of Hits At the Legislature PF Bentley/Civil Beat

Smokers Take A Couple Of Hits At the Legislature

Bills advance that would tax and regulate e-cigarette products and prohibit smoking in a motor vehicle with a minor present.

Governor: 100% Renewable Energy Formula ‘Flawed’ Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Governor: 100% Renewable Energy Formula ‘Flawed’

House lawmakers reconsidered a bill that the governor says more accurately calculates how much electricity comes from renewable sources.

House Defines ‘Substantial Net Benefit’ For Utility Merger Proposals Cory Lum/Civil Beat

House Defines ‘Substantial Net Benefit’ For Utility Merger Proposals

A legislative聽committee聽adopted the same terms聽that state energy regulators are using in the NextEra Energy-Hawaiian Electric merger case.

Senators Kill Bills To Elect Judges, Create Legislative Term Limits Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Senators Kill Bills To Elect Judges, Create Legislative Term Limits

But a measure to make the state attorney general an elective position is still moving forward.

Lawmakers Consider ‘Mobile Court’ For Homeless Defendants Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Lawmakers Consider ‘Mobile Court’ For Homeless Defendants

A court for nonviolent misdemeanor cases involving the homeless might help unclog dockets.

Bill To Expand Gun Restrictions Is Headed For Full House Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Bill To Expand Gun Restrictions Is Headed For Full House

People convicted of misdemeanor stalking or sexual assault would not be allowed to possess firearms and ammunition.

Police Reform Bills Forge Ahead In Hawaii Legislature Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Police Reform Bills Forge Ahead In Hawaii Legislature

The measures would set聽guidelines for use of body cams and establish boards for training and to review police use of force.

Tax Increases For Education, Elderly Rejected In Hawaii Senate Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Tax Increases For Education, Elderly Rejected In Hawaii Senate

A proposal pushed by the teachers union would have raised $850 million per year. Another bill would have helped pay for caregiver services.

Earned Income Tax Credit Bill Dies Cory Lum/CIvil Beat

Earned Income Tax Credit Bill Dies

Another bill to help low-income renters also is rejected. Sen. Jill Tokuda said the measures were too expensive.