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Legislature 2023

Lawmakers Want More Information Made Public On Inmate Deaths In State Prisons And Jails Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Lawmakers Want More Information Made Public On Inmate Deaths In State Prisons And Jails

House and Senate measures would require corrections officials to announce each prisoner death on a website, and include information on what caused each fatality.

DLNR Nominee Dawn Chang Faces Tough Questions About Her Past Work Courtesy: DLNR

DLNR Nominee Dawn Chang Faces Tough Questions About Her Past Work

Native Hawaiians are split on her nomination to lead one of the state’s largest and most impactful agencies.

A State Abortion Coordinator? Hawaii Lawmakers Consider Overcoming Barriers To Access Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

A State Abortion Coordinator? Hawaii Lawmakers Consider Overcoming Barriers To Access

A Kauai doctor’s lawsuit recently helped expand access. But there are still plenty of hurdles, particularly on the neighbor islands.

Hawaii Legislature: Inside The Push To Make School Meals Free In Hawaii Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Hawaii Legislature: Inside The Push To Make School Meals Free In Hawaii

A growing number of states are looking for ways to make free meals a permanent part of public education.

Danny De Gracia: Keep The Electoral College The Way It Is Flickr: Travis Wise

Danny De Gracia: Keep The Electoral College The Way It Is

Some people are unhappy with the notion of “faithless electors.” But Hawaii lawmakers should not change a thing.

Chad Blair: Are House And Senate Leaders Taking Ethics Reform Seriously? David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Chad Blair: Are House And Senate Leaders Taking Ethics Reform Seriously?

Speaker Scott Saiki and President Ron Kouchi explain where they stand on restoring public trust at the Capitol.

Hawaii Lawmakers Seek To Ease Process For Bringing Felony Charges Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Hawaii Lawmakers Seek To Ease Process For Bringing Felony Charges

A state Supreme Court ruling removed the option of using preliminary hearings instead of grand juries. Prosecutors want that option back.

Hawaii Needs To ‘Double Down’ On Biosecurity, Experts Say Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2015

Hawaii Needs To ‘Double Down’ On Biosecurity, Experts Say

State lawmakers are asked to find a little more funding now to save a lot more money later in order to protect the islands’ fragile ecosystems and ag lands.

Does The Office Of Hawaiian Affairs Need To Be More Representative? Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Does The Office Of Hawaiian Affairs Need To Be More Representative?

A pair of bills would change the way OHA trustees are elected, but there are concerns they would violate constitutional rights.

Nonprofit And Business Leaders Find Hope In Governor’s Affordability Plan David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Nonprofit And Business Leaders Find Hope In Governor’s Affordability Plan

Dubbed the Green Affordability Plan, Gov. Josh Green’s proposal would provide more than $300 million annually to struggling households.