Civil Beat Categories

Legislature 2021

Hawaii Senate Proposes $12 Minimum Wage By 2022 Claire Caulfield/Civil Beat/2021

Hawaii Senate Proposes $12 Minimum Wage By 2022

The measure has received pushback from the local business community, which is still dealing with the economic fallout brought on by the pandemic.

Proposed Cigarette Tax Increase Advances At Legislature Challiyil EswarChalakudy via Wikimedia Commons

Proposed Cigarette Tax Increase Advances At Legislature

Lawmakers consider a bill to increase the state tax from 16 cents per cigarette to 21 cents.

Hawaii Senate Advances Asset Forfeiture Reform Measure Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020

Hawaii Senate Advances Asset Forfeiture Reform Measure

Gov. David Ige vetoed a similar proposal in 2019 over worries that it would hinder law enforcement operations.

A State Lottery For Hawaii? Lawmakers Are Thinking About It Flickr: Iain Watson

A State Lottery For Hawaii? Lawmakers Are Thinking About It

A hearing is set this week on a bill that proposes using revenue for public education.

Danny De Gracia: It’s Time For Hawaii To Officially Recognize Juneteenth Getty Images/iStockphoto

Danny De Gracia: It’s Time For Hawaii To Officially Recognize Juneteenth

Hawaii is one of only three states that don’t yet officially commemorate Juneteenth, the day that marks the historic end of slavery in the United States.

Lee Cataluna: Hawaii Legislature Should Focus On One Thing Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Lee Cataluna: Hawaii Legislature Should Focus On One Thing

Anything other than the COVID-19 pandemic is off-topic this year.

Chad Blair: Is Scott Saiki The De Facto Governor Of Hawaii? Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Chad Blair: Is Scott Saiki The De Facto Governor Of Hawaii?

The Hawaii House speaker has assumed an outsized role in the state鈥檚 response to the pandemic.

Hawaii Lawmakers Advance New Tax On Alcoholic Drinks Honolulu BeerWorks

Hawaii Lawmakers Advance New Tax On Alcoholic Drinks

The new state tax of 10 cents a drink would be in effect for the next three years, and raise about $62 million a year.

Hawaii House Panel Strikes Down DHHL Casino Proposal Flickr: Liji Jinaraj

Hawaii House Panel Strikes Down DHHL Casino Proposal

A companion measure is still alive in the Senate, though the gambling bills face opposition from some legislative leaders and the governor.

Lawmakers Must Fix The Agribusiness Development Corporation Office of the Auditor

Lawmakers Must Fix The Agribusiness Development Corporation

Two new reports reveal that the government agency has failed miserably in its critical mission to diversify ag.