Civil Beat Categories

Legislature 2024

Lawmakers Move To Curb Use Of Deepfakes In Political Ads Getty Images/iStockphoto/2021

Lawmakers Move To Curb Use Of Deepfakes In Political Ads

Proponents say the spread of disinformation via artificial intelligence threatens the democratic process.

Governor Backs Effort To Stem The Tide Of Invasive Species In Hawaii Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Governor Backs Effort To Stem The Tide Of Invasive Species In Hawaii

The biosecurity measure is one of two key pieces of legislation that will strengthen the efforts of the Department of Agriculture.

Frequent Withdrawals Of Nominees Hinder Green’s Efforts To Fill Boards And Commissions Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Frequent Withdrawals Of Nominees Hinder Green’s Efforts To Fill Boards And Commissions

More than 10% of the governor’s nominees have been pulled back this year.

Hawaii Lawmakers Move To Cut Income Tax But HECO Bill Is In Limbo Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Hawaii Lawmakers Move To Cut Income Tax But HECO Bill Is In Limbo

House and Senate leaders are working through the weekend to see if there is a path to reviving a utility securitization bill.

Lawmakers Agree To Pay $450 Million In Pandemic Hazard Pay To HGEA Members Getty Images/iStockphoto

Lawmakers Agree To Pay $450 Million In Pandemic Hazard Pay To HGEA Members

Much of the back pay was negotiated by Gov. Josh Green’s administration for state employees who reported for work in person during the emergency from 2020 to 2022.

Bill Aims To Reduce Unauthorized Hunting In Hawaii Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2022

Bill Aims To Reduce Unauthorized Hunting In Hawaii

The legislative proposal would make hunting guides obtain written permission from landowners before leading tours on private lands.

Lawmakers Vote To Provide More Than $800M In New Recovery Money For Maui David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Lawmakers Vote To Provide More Than $800M In New Recovery Money For Maui

Members of the House and Senate also agreed to create a new position for a state fire marshal to promote fire safety.

HECO’s Bill To Raise Money From Customers For Wildfire Mitigation Has Stalled Cammy Clark/Civil Beat/2024

HECO’s Bill To Raise Money From Customers For Wildfire Mitigation Has Stalled

The utility wanted to add a fee of up to 5% to customers’ bills to finance the program, but a key Senator balked. The governor has stepped in to try to save it.

Chad Blair: Let Us Now Appraise Fallen Bills Screenshot/2024

Chad Blair: Let Us Now Appraise Fallen Bills

What doesn’t pass the Hawaii Legislature is sometimes more interesting than what does.

It Looked Bad In The Beginning, But Maui Did Not Suck Up All The Money In The State Budget David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

It Looked Bad In The Beginning, But Maui Did Not Suck Up All The Money In The State Budget

Thanks to a large starting surplus of cash and a surge in support from the federal government, the state is managing the huge costs of the Maui fire — for now.