Senate bill would transfer Māla Wharf and Kīhei Boat Ramp to Maui County Maui Now Brian Perry January 29, 2025 Original Article Dissatisfied by state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ management of small boating facilities, West and South Maui Sen. Angus McKelvey has drafted a bill to transfer maintenance and operations of Māla Wharf in Lahaina and the Kīhei Boat Ramp to Maui County. Under the bill, the County could set permit fees to generate revenue for the facilities’ upkeep. Senate Bill 750 , introduced by McKelvey and Oʻahu Sens. Stanley Chang and Kurt Fevella, includes a legislative finding that “state boating facilities on Maui are cherished and important parts of the island’s communities and are critical for fishing, recreation, commerce and transportation.” “However, the Legislature recognizes that Maui’s state boating facilities have descended into complete disarray and are under-functioning in many different aspects,” the bill says. It says repairs and maintenance at the Maui boating facilities are “incomplete” and done on an ad hoc basis. Operations of the facilities are managed through state offices on Oʻahu and communications go through “several layers of personnel.” The bill would also transfer nearby park areas to the county for maintenance. The Department of Land and Natural Resources had no comment on the bill. The measure would allow Maui County to set and collect permit fees from facility users. It also has an unspecified amount included as an appropriation to pay for the transfer. In response to a Maui Now request for comment, Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee said she does not support transferring the boating facilities to Maui County to assume their operation, administration and maintenance, particularly with an undetermined amount of funding support. Lee noted that the boating facilities are in “extremely poor condition” and “yet the bill proposes to give this liability to Maui County when we are still in the thick of recovering from the August 2023 wildfires. The recovery process has our infrastructure agencies, along with other operations, administration, and management, at full capacity – we simply do not have the manpower and financial resources to manage these facilities at this time.” “I am typically a supporter of home rule, and there may be a time in the future when this idea could be discussed thoroughly and responsibly with all relevant agencies and personnel, but now is not that time and this discussion has not occurred,” Lee said. Senate Bill 750 has passed first reading and been referred to the Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz and vice chaired by Sharon Moriwaki, both of Oʻahu; and the Water and Land Committee, chaired by Sen. Lorraine Inouye of Hawaiʻi Island and vice chaired by Sen. Brandon Elefante of Oʻahu. No public hearings had been scheduled as of Wednesday morning.

THE HAWAI'I STATE SENATE ANNOUNCES CONFIRMATION OF TWO KEY LEADERS IN DEFENSE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT MyPearlCity PC Community March 21, 2025 Original Article The Hawaiʻi State Senate today confirmed Major General Stephen Logan as the Adjutant General for the State of Hawai‘i Department of Defense and Major Mike Lambert as the Director of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement. Senator Brandon Elefante (Senate District 16 – ‘Aiea, ‘Aiea Heights, Hālawa, Pearlridge, Newtown, Royal Summit, Waimalu, Waiau, Momilani, Pacific Palisades, and Pearl City), chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs (PSM) praised the confirmations. “I am pleased to support the confirmation of Major General Logan and Major Lambert, two highly skilled leaders who bring years of dedicated service to our state,” said Senator Elefante. “Major General Logan’s military expertise and Major Lambert’s long-standing dedication to law enforcement will be critical in advancing the safety and security of Hawaiʻi.” Major General Logan brings over 40 years of military experience, including leadership positions such as Commander of the 103rd Troop Command and Assistant Adjutant General. His expertise in disaster management and logistics was key in his unanimous confirmation as Adjutant General. “I am honored by the Senate’s confirmation,” stated Major General Logan. “As Adjutant General, my commitment is to serve Hawai‘i with integrity, dedication, and a focus on enhancing our state’s defense capabilities. I look forward to working alongside our military and community partners to ensure the safety and security of our state and its residents.” Major Lambert has spent over 20 years in law enforcement and most recently served as a major with the Honolulu Police Department (HPD). His leadership and dedication to public safety have earned him widespread support from the community. “I am deeply humbled by this confirmation and excited to take on the responsibility of leading the Department of Law Enforcement,” said Major Lambert. “My focus will be on fostering strong relationships within our communities, ensuring the safety of all residents, and upholding the highest standards of integrity and service in our law enforcement efforts.” During Friday’s Floor Session, the Senate voted unanimously in favor of confirming both leaders to their new positions. ABOUT THE HAWAIʻI STATE SENATE MAJORITY The Hawaiʻi State Senate consists of 25 members who serve staggered four-year terms. The Senate Majority consists of 22 Democrats for the 33rd Legislature, which convened on January 15, 2025. For the latest news and updates, follow the Senate Majority on Facebook , Instagram , or visit https://www.hawaiisenatemajority.com .

New Digital Hub Opens in Hoʻolehua The Molokai Dispatch Léo Azambuja October 9, 2025 Original Article A new space for Molokai residents to access high-speed Internet, print documents, learn how to use computers and even attend remote healthcare appointments opened last week. “The Molokai Digital Hub has been a dream over the last several years,” said Rosie Davis, executive director of the Maui County Area Health Education Center on Molokai. The grand opening of the facility at Lanikeha Community Center in Ho‘olehua was Sept. 25, during a ceremony attended by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and state Sen. Lynn DeCoite. On Oct. 1, Molokai’s first digital hub opened to the public. The facility was created to help close a digital gap on Molokai by providing residents with tools for online connectivity, learning and development, according to Davis. “We have everything from computer literacy (classes), telehealth skills, digital literacy, everything from one-on-one and social media,” Davis said. “We have five desktops, four laptops and a printer.” The idea of a digital hub at Lanikeha was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, when island residents were asking for a facility where they could learn how to do Zoom meetings, access the Internet for healthcare appointments or just keep in touch with their family members. At that time, she said, the community center offered a class teaching to use iPads to access the Internet. Most of those first students were older residents who only owned a phone, and didn’t even know how to turn on an iPad. That’s when Davis said she found out there was a big need on the island for computer literacy classes and other related services. A year later, AHEC secured a $30,000 grant to hire three contractors to come to the community center and offer one-on-one classes on refurbished laptops. “In about a year-and-a-half, we had 253 people that had attended the classes, and now they were asking for a higher level (of classes),” Davis said. Additionally, telehealth — assessing health care services through the Internet — also became “a big part of helping the community,” and it wasn’t just beneficiaries, she said, it was the entire community. The new Molokai Digital Hub has been “a blessing,” Davis said, possible through a $5,000 donation from Spectrum and another donation of nearly $9,000 from the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. Other partners include Maui County AHEC, Molokai Public Library, Kuha‘o Business Center and Ka‘ala Souza from Māpunawai. Davis said since the facility opened, there has been a good flow of visitors, and there will be more students joining soon. “People love to come to the workshops,” she said. The Molokai Digital Hub is at Lanikeha Community Center at 2200 Farrington Ave. in Ho‘olehua. It is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bill would ban immigration detention centers on state land Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso February 4, 2025 Original Article Immigration detention centers would be banned on state and county lands, and other bills in the Legislature also would ensure due process for any detainees. The bills have drawn both condemnation and support as Senate and House members consider public testimony. The bills are moving through the state Legislature as federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents continue to enforce President Donald Trump’s promise to sweep up illegal immigrants, many of whom have committed no violent offenses, and deport them. During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly said unspecified numbers of illegal immigrants had committed murders and were members of violent drug cartels. Trump also has threatened to eliminate “birthright citizenship” for American-born children of immigrants, a right that’s enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Gov. Josh Green has repeatedly told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he will not deploy Hawaii National Guard troops to the mainland to assist in rounding up illegal immigrants, especially if it means separating them from their families. House Bill 73 would prohibit the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and Board of Land and Natural Resources from allowing state land to be used for immigration detention facilities while also forbidding state and county agencies from “contracting with the federal government or processing any permit for this purpose.” HB 73 unanimously passed out of the House Committee on Economic Development and Technology. HB 438 and its Senate companion bill, Senate Bill 816, would create a “Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program in the state Judiciary to provide legal representation to individuals in immigration-related proceedings in immigration court.” HB 457 also would require state and local law enforcement agencies “to notify an individual of their rights when in law enforcement agency custody before any interview with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on certain matters regarding immigration violations.” HB 22 would limit state and county law enforcement agencies’ ability to collaborate with the federal government for immigration purposes. The bill received support from, among others, the office of the Kauai County Prosecuting Attorney, which wrote, “As the smallest of the State’s County law enforcement team, our Office does not have the resources to spare to enforce civil immigration detainers. In addition, we share concerns about due process violations in enforcement of these orders.” House Bill 73, which would prohibit detention centers on state and county land, has been opposed by individuals and a group called Hawaii Island Republican Women. The bill has been referred to the House Economic Development and Technology, Water and Land, and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees. No hearings have been scheduled yet on HB 73. Support for the ban on immigration detention facilities has come from individuals, organizations and agencies such as the state Office of Public Defender; immigration and civil rights groups; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Honolulu Council member Matt Weyer, who represents the North Shore and parts of Central Oahu; Hawaii County Council member Jennifer Kagiwada; and unions like Hawaii’s largest — the Government Employees Association — and Unite Here Local 5 that represents thousands of employees of Filipino descent working in Hawaii’s hotel, food service and health care industries. “Many of our union members are immigrants or children of immigrants, they are the working-class families, friends and neighbors that make up the fabric of our Hawaii communities,” the union wrote in testimony supporting the House bills. “We support HB22 as it clarifies how Hawaii will treat non-judicial warrants. … (There) are legitimate concerns about the constitutionality of civil immigration detainers, as opposed to criminal warrants issued by a judge with probable cause.” But Jamie Detwiler, president of Hawaiian Island Republican Women, wrote in opposition to banning detention centers on state and county land: “If the Federal government provides funding to build Federal detention facilities and procures the land lawfully, a federal detention center should be built. We need to support the efforts of our President Trump and his administration in their pursuit of making America safe again.” Andrew Crossland wrote in his testimony in opposition, “I STRONGLY OPPOSE any Bill in which the State would attempt to defy the deportation efforts of the federal government to enforce our immigration laws. We need to take care of legal citizens and residents in Hawaii first, not illegal aliens who are criminals by definition.” In her testimony, Sharee Orr wrote, “Illegal aliens are illegal. They did not follow immigration process therefore should not be afforded any help by the state to keep them from being returned to where they came. They eventually become burden to the taxpayer.” Noela von Wiegandt opposed HB 73 in her written testimony because “we don’t have enough housing to house the legal citizens who live here and to house our Veterans and homeless. I do not want my tax dollars spent on any facilities to house illegals on our public land. Just deport them and they can apply the legal way to live in the United States.” State Sen. Henry Aquino (D, Pearl City-Waipahu-West Loch) chairs the Senate Labor and Technology Committee and helped introduced SB 816, which would create the “Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program.” Aquino wrote in a text to the Honolulu Star- Advertiser that he introduced it “in response to growing concerns from the immigration community and civil rights groups specifically.” “Currently there’s very few resources that help folks navigate the complex legal processes surrounding immigration-related actions,” Aquino said. Tuia‘ana Scanlan — president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 665 union, which represents entertainment workers — cited the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans and the first generation of Japanese immigrants following the Japanese navy’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. In the anti-Japanese hysteria that followed, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of America’s most progressive Democratic presidents, issued an executive order requiring the U.S. military to round up and force both Japanese- and U.S.-born Japanese Americans into internment camps across the U.S. West, including a much smaller one on Oahu called Honouliuli. Congress eventually apologized and paid surviving internees $20,000 each, for a total of $1.6 billion. Honouliuli has since been designated a National Historic Site. “If history teaches us anything, it is that racially motivated support for the construction of detention centers is wrong,” Scanlan wrote in support of HB 73. “We need only remind ourselves of the Japanese internment camps. … It is a slippery slope to allow for the creation of internment camps. It is a deplorable mechanism used to rob contributing members of society of their possessions and their dignity.”

Editorial: New opportunities for Hawaiian Islands’ farmers Star Advertiser July 22, 2025 Original Article The thrust of President Trump’s tariff policy is to make American goods more price-competitive, thereby creating the conditions for more domestic manufacture, rather than reliance on U.S. imports. Hawaii has not been a hub of American-made products in most categories, but there is one that could benefit from an environment of some higher prices. That would be agriculture. Hawaii has a year-round growing season, but export potential has been limited by federal regulation as well as competition. It is good to see Hawaii’s high-level state officials working to claim a piece of the “made in America” advantage the islands deserve. In March, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke met with Brooke Rollins, the U.S. agriculture secretary, to discuss some of the state’s agricultural industry concerns. This is an opportunity to capitalize on changing conditions — exactly the sort of initiative Hawaii should be pursuing, and that our congressional delegation should be spearheading to work within the system. On a separate yet related front, there is now an improved “shipping” service to and from the islands. One major development was the new Amazon delivery station that opened on Sand Island a year ago, aiding in quick fulfillment of merchandise orders from the online marketplace site. It has also enabled a fast track specifically for Hawaii-grown pineapples, still among the marquee products for visitors to the state and now being made more available to mainland markets. The key was a partnership announced in mid-July between Maui Gold and Amazon that launched a direct cargo route between Hawaii and California. State Sen. Glenn Wakai helped to put the partners together. He said the four cargo planes Amazon sends to Hawaii each day have space on the return flights to be filled by locally made or grown products. The hope should be that this new pipeline expands to include multiple lines of Hawaii-made products, Wakai added. But above all, agriculture should be a primary focus. Whether it’s pineapple or other fruits — or Hawaii’s famous coffee — now is the time to boost their cachet for a wider market. The lieutenant governor said in a Monday phone interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that discussions over these issues actually began under the Biden administration. The back-and-forth accelerated after Trump’s inauguration in January, Luke said, especially when hiring freezes delayed the work of agricultural inspectors at the airports. That issue has receded, but the USDA outreach then expanded to other regulatory concerns. For example, Hawaii is rightly making the case that some fruit-borne insects cannot survive in some colder climates, Luke said; the state is hoping that blanket bans on exports can be lifted in such cold zones. Fruits with softer skins, such as papayas, can harbor fruit flies, she said, but harder-shell produce such as pineapples and avocados are much more resistant and should be regulated differently. Irradiation should not be required across all produce categories, she said. Avocados, with their protective hard shell, can be discolored and essentially ruined through irradiation. Hawaii should want its high-quality avocado crop to be marketable at full advantage. Finally, Luke said, the USDA should help local farmers by selecting their crops to supply Hawaii food banks in its surplus purchase program. This makes sense, and would save federal funds as well: The agency currently ships in mainland produce for this purpose, she added. It’s still unclear when each of the individual barriers to exporting could be lifted — but persisting with the USDA discussions is crucial. Hawaii does have some exceptional products to market more broadly. Keeping this state top of mind among federal officials is mission critical.

Senate hearing examines federal climate rollbacks and Hawaiʻi response Maui Now November 5, 2025 Original Article Hawaiʻi lawmakers heard stark warnings Monday about the risks posed by federal funding cuts and policy rollbacks to the state’s clean energy and climate initiatives. During a joint informational briefing, the Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Judiciary, chaired by Sen. Karl Rhoads, and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Sen. Mike Gabbard, received testimony from Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation Adaption Commission Coordinator Leah Laramee and retired Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Associate Justice Michael D. Wilson. The briefing centered on how recent federal policy actions, including the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” in July, have jeopardized around $651 million of outstanding clean energy projects across the state. Laramee cautioned that these cuts threaten Hawaiʻi residents’ “right to health, safety and affordability,” linking climate action directly to quality of life. Laramee also listed multiple environmental- and conservation-focused programs that are facing repeal of unobligated balances by the federal goverment, including the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program, most USDA agricultural conservation programs, ecosystem restoration programs, national parks, among others. She noted that the State Attorney General has had to bring or join numerous climate-related legal challenges — 41 since the beginning of the year — to protect the state’s clean energy, climate and environmental laws and policies. Former Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Associate Justice Michael D. Wilson gave a presentation to the lawmakers, titled, “The Rule of Law, Civilization’s Greatest Tool to Achieve Justice, Is Under Attack in Hawaiʻi.” In it, he discussed the growing wave of climate-related litigation (2,180 lawsuits around the world relating to climate as of December 2022), and applauded the State of Hawaiʻi for being the “bleeding front line of climate change, and the foremost champion among all states of climate rights for the future generations of our country.” He noted that Hawaiʻi’s right to bring such litigation has been threatened by the federal government’s attempts to block such litigation, while the Hawaiʻi Judiciary’s role in addressing climate change has been steadfast: “We rejected the idea that the courts don’t have a duty to protect future generations, our population, from this existential threat.” Other measures taken by the State, including the state constitutional right of every person to a “clean and healthful environment” (Article XI, Section 9) and the adoption of the goals of the Paris climate agreement, provide support when the State needs to respond to inappropriate federal action, he said. Wilson also discussed the potential economic impacts and legal ramifications of climate change in Hawaiʻi. He noted that the loss of Waikīkī Beach could result in an annual loss of $2 billion in visitor expenditures by mid-century, as an example. Both presenters offered recommendations to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s preparedness for emerging climate threats and federal actions. Suggestions included bolstering the State’s energy programs, supporting the Department of the Attorney General in climate-related litigation efforts and developing comprehensive plans to address not only the effects but also the root causes of climate change. Laramee emphasized the importance of embedding climate considerations in all areas of policy and budgeting. “The key thing is to put a climate lens on everything,” she said. “The more money that we can invest in adaptation, mitigation, resilience programs, the more money we’re going to save in the long term.” Sen. Rhoads called the briefing “a sobering reminder that climate change is not a distant or abstract issue,” and said it’s the Legislature’s responsibility to act proactively and challenge “federal actions that are likely unlawful or infringe on matters controlled by the State.” Sen. Gabbard added, “The loss of federal funding for clean energy projects threatens years of progress toward a more sustainable future. Now is the time to double down on renewable energy, local food security and climate adaptation to safeguard our islands.” A video recording of the briefing is available on YouTube. The briefing is part of a series of informational briefings on the rule of law in relation to the recent actions of the Trump Administration and how its decisions are impacting Hawaiʻi. Information about past and upcoming briefings can be accessed on the Senate Judiciary Committee webpage.

Here’s How A Second Trump Term May Impact Hawaiʻi Police Civil Beat Madeleine Valera January 1, 2025 Original Article President-elect Donald Trump described himself as the “law-and-order” candidate during his campaign and promised to do things like expand the death penalty, deploy the National Guard to quell civil unrest and increase liability protections for police. His pro-police, tough-on-crime stance is likely good news for morale and recruitment efforts, according to officials and experts. But civil rights activists fear that his policies could set back criminal justice reform efforts, and that his promise to deport undocumented immigrants could have a negative impact on public safety. While many policing policies are decided at the state and county levels, Trump’s decisions could directly affect issues such as the availability of federal grant opportunities for local police departments, according to Jillian Snider, adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. His statements about police and criminal justice issues can also set the tone for the entire nation. “Right now, police officers across the country are pretty disheartened, and we’ve seen recruitment and retention are suffering,” she said. “So I think having a president in place that vocally expresses his admiration and appreciation for law enforcement will be really good for the job on the whole.” Law enforcement officials aren’t sure how local police departments will be affected during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. While he can’t directly impact policies and procedures for local departments, his agenda and rhetoric could set the tone departments around the country. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) Trump’s actions during his first term shed light on his attitude toward law enforcement. For example, he rescinded a President Barack Obama-era executive order prohibiting local police departments from acquiring military equipment and deployed soldiers to help local police quell protests. Recruitment and Retention In Trump’s “Plan to End Crime and Restore Law and Order ” released in February 2023, the president-elect said he would invest in hiring, retention and training for police officers at record levels, though he didn’t specify how much he would invest or how he would impact hiring. Members of his transition team did not respond to emails seeking comment for this story. Honolulu police Chief Joe Logan has said recruitment is his top priority as the department suffers an ongoing staffing shortage and is down around 400 officers. Honolulu police Chief Joe Logan has said his top priority is recruitment as his department deals with an ongoing staffing shortage of around 400 officers. Experts say Trump’s rhetoric and general positive attitude toward police could boost morale and attract more people to the profession, though it’s unclear if that will happen in Hawaii. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024) Snider, a retired New York City police officer, said it’s difficult to say if Trump’s administration will be able to help recruitment efforts, though she said his rhetoric and general attitude toward police could boost morale and interest in the profession. Since 2020, police staffing levels have dropped across the country, a phenomenon many law enforcement officials attribute in part to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the killing of George Floyd and ensuing Black Lives Matter movement, which increased public scrutiny of police actions. Last year, staffing levels for departments nationwide were up for the first time since 2020, though only by 0.4% , according to a survey by the Police Executive Research Forum. The president can’t do much to directly impact recruitment at local levels, but, Snider said she expects Trump’s administration will be supportive of any legislative efforts to increase hiring. One bipartisan bill introduced in Congress last year, the VICTIM Act , would establish a grant program to help local jurisdictions with their clearance rates for violent crime by providing funds for them to hire more detectives and investigators, she said. Staffing levels at police departments across the country have been declining since 2020. Trump has promised to increase the hiring of police officers nationwide, though he has not specified how.(David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but Snider said she expects it to be reintroduced next session and it may advance if Trump supports it. During the campaign, Trump was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, one of the most influential law enforcement lobbies in the U.S. He responded by pledging strong support for police and expanded use of force. “We have to get back to power and respect,” he said in September. The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers did not endorse a candidate for president. Federal Grants Local police departments receive millions of dollars each year in federal grants, and Snider said Trump’s administration is likely to impose more accountability over the process. In fiscal year 2023, the Honolulu Police Department received around $7.7 million in federal grant money, including an $800,000 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for a virtual reality training program on de-escalation. The Honolulu Police Department received around $7.7 million in federal grant money in fiscal year year 2023, including an $800,000 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for virtual reality de-escalation training. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023) Last fiscal year, agencies around the state, including county police departments and prosecutors offices, the state Attorney General’s Office, the Domestic Violence Action Center and the University of Hawaiʻi, received $19.8 million in federal justice grants for things like substance abuse treatment for prisoners, school violence programs and mentoring for children of incarcerated parents. When asked at a December Honolulu Police Commission meeting how he thinks federal grants will be impacted under the new administration, Logan said he wasn’t sure because even though Trump seems to “friendly” toward law enforcement, the president-elect also places a strong emphasis on fiscal responsibility. Trump has said he plans to create a Department of Government Efficiency headed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, founder of the pharmaceutical company, Roivant Sciences, to cut government spending and restructure federal agencies, including the Department of Justice. “I don’t think we’re going to see reduced funding for law enforcement, but I just think we’re going to see more accountability for the funding that law enforcement is provided with,” Snider said. Immigrant Worries The American Civil Liberties Union Hawaii said Trump’s promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants could push some further underground and prevent them from cooperating with police due to concern about themselves or family members. Gov. Josh Green has said the state’s National Guard will not be used to help with federal deportations and has promised to do all he can to keep immigrant families in Hawaii together. But still, the threats from the Trump administration alone can be enough to instill fear in people and drive them underground, said Carrie Ann Shirota, policy director for the ACLU of Hawaii. “The idea about community policing is to build more trust with communities that often are the most under-resourced and more likely to be policed,” she said. “So these measures at the federal level undermine the very principals of community policing.” Police Reform Criminal justice reform advocates have also expressed concern about the potential impact of Trump’s support for policies like the death penalty, longer prison sentences for convicted criminals and stop and frisk , a police practice in which an officer can stop a person and pat them down if they suspect he or she is carrying a weapon. Hawaiʻi abolished capital punishment in 1957, two years before statehood, but Hawaii residents convicted of federal crimes can still face the death penalty. Trump has promised to expand certain rights for gun owners, for example passing a nationwide concealed carry reciprocity law that would allow gun owners with concealed carry permits to travel to every state, even those like Hawaiʻi that don’t honor out-of-state permits. State Sen. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he doesn’t know how much further the Trump administration will be willing to go. A 2022 Supreme Court ruling known as the Bruen decision already opened the door for Hawaii gun owners to be able to carry their weapons in public. More extreme laws that would weaken background checks and make it easier for people to buy guns would be extremely unpopular with a majority of Americans, he said. “I don’t think he really wants to go any farther because it’s bad politics and it’s bad policy,” he said. Nearly 10,000 people joined a Black Lives Matter march at the Hawaii State Capitol in 2020. Civil rights advocates worry that another Trump administration will bring more police violence against protesters. (Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020) Members of the ACLU of Hawaii are worried Trump might rescind a 2022 executive order issued by President Joe Biden aimed at advancing accountability in policing and boosting public trust in police departments. The order includes mandates to increase use of force and implicit bias training for state and local departments and restricts law enforcement from buying certain types of military equipment, such as armored vehicles, weaponized drones and long-range acoustic devices. Trump’s support of military gear for police departments as well as his use of soldiers to crack down on protesters during his first term, makes advocates nervous about the potential for police violence in the coming years, Shirota said. “The use of military weapons and equipment can certainly increase excessive force outcomes and possibly even deadly outcomes,” she said. Supporters of police and protesters faced off outside Honolulu District Court in July 2021 during a preliminary hearing for three officers charged in connection with the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap. Members of the ACLU Hawaii fear Trump’s return to office could mean a weakening of police accountability. (Ronen Zilberman/Civil Beat/2021) A bill that would have prohibited police from acquiring military gear and using certain types of equipment, such as bean bag projectiles and tear gas, on protesters was introduced in the Hawaii Legislature in 2022. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee, but it didn’t advance. Meanwhile, Trump’s own felony convictions could also undermine his purported commitment to uphold the rule of law, Rhoads said. The Senate judiciary chair said he doesn’t know of any plans to reintroduce the military equipment bill in the upcoming session, or any other bills aimed at reducing the potential effects of future Trump policies. Lawmakers may be waiting to see what his first year back in office brings before figuring out what actions to take, he said. “We don’t know what he’s going to do,” he said. “Some promises he keeps and some of them he doesn’t, and what the net effect is going to be for Hawaii and the country I just don’t know.”

Education bill funding program that combines culture with academics, continues to advance Maui Now N/A March 7, 2025 Original Article Senate Bill 529 SD1 relating to education seeks to appropriate funds to expand the Hoʻākea Program, an educational initiative that integrates Hawaiian cultural practices with academic subjects to engage students and promote environmental stewardship. Senate Vice President Michelle N. Kidani (District 18 – Mililani Town, Waipi‘o Gentry, Crestview, Waikele, portion of Waipahu, Village Park, Royal Kunia) who chairs the Senate Committee on Education (EDU) announced the Senate’s passage of the bill as it continues on a path forward this legislative session. “Programs like Ho‘ākea create meaningful learning experiences for students that bridge culture, community, and education, fostering a deeper connection to their heritage and building a stronger sense of identity and responsibility,” said Kidani. “By incorporating traditional knowledge with modern curriculum, this initiative empowers our keiki to become the next generation of leaders.” “The impact of Ho‘ākea has truly been profound for our students, our families and our communities,” said Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) Superintendent Keith Hayashi. “Through hands-on learning stations, the mission of Hoʻākea is to inspire students to embrace the ‘Navigator Mindset’ and become the leaders, stewards, and critical thinkers that can navigate us into a better future.” According to Nainoa Thompson, Pwo Navigator and CEO of Polynesian Voyaging Society, “education is everything, it will determine our future of what we teach our children. I’ve seen the impact when there’s a bridge that’s created between the power of communities and families, and Ho‘ākea is that bridge to teachers who are the bridge to our schools.” Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom, Hui O Wa‘a Kaulua President, vocalist and songwriter, shared her strong support, writing,“using foundational values and perspectives of waʻa and ʻāina, students learn about, explore, and troubleshoot issues they experience daily – like coastal erosion, water and food security, emergency preparedness, and community resilience. Connecting place, culture, and history to core subjects like math, science, and social studies engage their natural curiosity and excitement to learn.” The bill now moves to the House for consideration.

Gov. Josh Green signs condo insurance incentives into law Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso July 8, 2025 Original Article Insurance companies now have more incentives to provide condominium coverage after Gov. Josh Green signed a bill on Monday that he hopes will lower rates for condos across the islands — especially after their rates soared and insurance companies left following the 2023 Maui wildfires. By signing the latest version of Senate Bill 1044 into law as Act 296, Green said that Hawaii is now better positioned than other states to see condo insurance stabilize — encouraging insurance companies to return and provide more competitive rates. SB 1044 came out of a task force comprised of representatives of condo boards, actuarials, insurance representatives, state insurance officials and others that began meeting two years ago following the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires that caused $13 billion in damage and led to $3 billion in insurance payouts and an exodus of insurance companies. Act 296 reactivates the dormant Hawai‘i Hurricane Relief Fund to provide hurricane coverage for condo associations that have been denied hurricane insurance. It requires no additional taxpayer funding because the coverage will come out of revenue already in the Hawai‘i Hurricane Relief Fund, said state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D, Kaneohe-Kailua), chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee. The fund was created in 1993 after Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai, Green said, “so the market didn’t get out of control, so that people didn’t lose the value of their condos, so they didn’t have to leave Hawaii.” Act 296 also creates a pilot, low-interest rate loan program to help aging condos pay for backlogged repairs that make them difficult to insure — or can only find insurance at increasingly skyrocketing rates. It’s focused on helping the “average Hawaii residents living in a condo” over owners of high-rise luxury condos, said state Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili), who chairs the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee. Insurers who were part of a two-year-old task force looking at ways to lower insurance rates said the threat that old water pipes could burst and flood units represented the main risk for insurance companies, Matayoshi said. By upgrading aging buildings, Matayoshi hopes condo associations will be able to purchase less expensive insurance coverage. Just since June 24, the loan program has received applications from 80 condo associations for backlogged repairs and 10 of them already have been accepted, Acting Insurance Commissioner Jerry Bump said at Monday’s bill-signing ceremony. Sen. Keohokalole said that Sunday’s wildfire in Maili represents the ongoing threats to Hawaii and the insurance problems that follow. “All the Lahaina memories came rushing back,” Keohokalole said. “It’s a reminder of how vulnerable we all are to disaster and how important it is to have insurance.” Act 296 was meant to address a “silent crisis that’s pushing thousands of residents to the brink, skyrocketing insurance costs with no alternatives in sight,” he said. It provides relief “especially for seniors with no alternatives that are the most vulnerable to the price spikes or the cancellations that we’ve been seeing throughout the community,” Keohokalole said. Green said, “it has become increasingly clear that our housing market was unstable. After the (Maui) fires, the difference in insuring ourselves was setting the condo market upside down. … It effects tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of our citizens.” Green hopes Act 296 and the new, higher increase in the hotel room tax to fund Hawaii’s wildfire and climate change mitigation efforts will combine to convince insurance companies to return and reinvest in Hawaii’s insurance market, especially for condominiums. It will turn “an unstable” insurance market into a “solid” one, Green said. Keohokalole said: “It also sets up a fire wall to potentially protect hundreds of thousands of residents whose lives could be thrown into disarray if there is a broader insurance market cancellation or another catastrophe like Lahaina.” Act 296 was aimed at “a complicated matter that affects a lot of local people,” Keohokalole said, and “to fix something that makes life better for local people.” Keohokalole called the new law “the most complicated bill I’ve ever worked on. But it’s really important.”

A slew of new housing laws take effect this month to streamline building, protect tenants Stateline Robbie Sequeira January 9, 2025 Original Article A new row of homes is under construction in a Santa Clarita, Calif., neighborhood in 2023. The state has enacted dozens of new laws to expand housing options and protect tenants — a trend expected to continue nationally this year. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Read more Stateline coverage of how communities across the country are trying to create more affordable housing. New state laws taking effect this month aim to confront the nation’s ongoing housing crisis in various ways, from expanding housing options, to speeding up the development process, to protecting struggling tenants from eviction. Similar bills are in store for this year’s legislative sessions. The new laws include measures to combat landlord retaliation in Illinois and Minnesota , to seal eviction records in Idaho and, in California , to streamline the process for building backyard accessory dwelling units, known as ADUs. Other states focused on the barriers preventing housing from being built by relaxing zoning laws to allow for new types of development, and put the onus on cities to make affordable housing available. Surveys show most Americans, of all backgrounds , communities and political persuasions, want to see more housing built. The need, experts say, is overwhelming. Freddie Mac estimates the current housing shortage at about 3.7 million homes. For extremely low-income tenants, that shortage is more than 7 million rental homes , according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “I expect that it will be a banner year for housing legislation, because many state legislators and governors ran for the first time on a platform that included addressing housing cost inflation,” said economist Salim Furth, a senior research fellow and director of the urbanity project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. “Now they need to deliver.” Furth, who is tracking 135 housing-related bills this year, said he expects a return of last year’s popular issues: making it easier to build an ADU, allowing residential development in commercial zones, and streamlining permitting processes. Perhaps no state did more last year than California, which enacted more than 60 housing-related laws . Most encourage more development in a state with an estimated shortfall of 2.5 million homes . Among the new laws in California are measures that eliminate parking requirements for certain residential developments near transit stations, ease the development of more housing in existing neighborhoods, and strip local governments of the power to block some affordable housing in-fill projects except on the grounds of public health or safety. The state also enacted several laws to encourage more construction of ADUs . Among other provisions, the measures offer up-front transparency on ADU regulations, encourage the building of ADUs in coastal zones, and offer flexibility for ADUs on multifamily lots. Accessory dwelling units have gained a lot of bipartisan traction in state legislatures . Gretchen Baldau of the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council praised new laws in Arizona and Nebraska that allow ADUs and modular homes on residential lots, and said she sees momentum for legislation in Delaware and Georgia that could allow for ADUs. “Housing reform can be a tricky issue for lawmakers because the topic literally hits close to home,” Baldau, who is the senior director of the commerce, insurance and economic development task force for ALEC, as the think tank is known, said in a statement to Stateline. ALEC has offered legislatures model legislation that would lower permitting and construction barriers to building ADUs, she noted, along with other model bills that would eliminate discretionary review and approvals and limit most third-party legal challenges to approved developments . Tenant protections Several new laws impose checks on tenant-landlord relationships. New laws in Illinois and Minnesota, for example, prohibit landlords from retaliating against tenants who report code violations, seek repairs or engage in tenant organizing — the latter of which is robust in Minnesota . Minnesota’s law also offers protections for tenants who report issues to the media, or who call for emergency assistance. In Idaho, eviction actions filed on or after Jan. 1, 2025, are automatically shielded from public disclosure if the entire case was dismissed, is not pending appeal or if three years have passed since the filing date. Idaho was one of at least three states, along with Maryland and Massachusetts, to enact laws last year that seal eviction records, according to a Stateline review. The laws have been hailed by housing advocates who say they will prevent a person’s eviction history from being used against them, though landlords argue eviction data is relevant to leasing decisions. ‘Housing isn’t just one issue’ With 26 state legislatures back in session as of Jan. 8, housing bills are slowly trickling in. California, a bellwether when it comes to housing policy, has a few bills introduced that would ban the use of algorithmic devices to set rents , prevent local agencies from placing parking standards on ADUs , and create a new state authority to build and maintain social housing , a public community housing movement gaining momentum in some advocacy circles. In Texas, two Republican lawmakers have filed bills that would override local ordinances restricting or prohibiting accessory dwelling units. And in Maryland, Democrats say they plan to introduce legislation to speed development approvals for new housing, alongside tenant protection proposals such as a bill that would require landlords to have a legitimate cause for evicting a tenant. Affordability, homelessness, economic mobility — they all hinge on whether we can provide enough housing. – Hawaii Democratic state Sen. Stanley Chang Tim Rosenberger, a legal policy fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute, predicts differing approaches to housing: Red states will focus on increasing supply, while blue states will prioritize rent control, he said. “With rates high and inventory priced far above what most Americans can afford, expect red states to pursue commonsense efforts to increase supply while blue states look at ways to try to curb prices,” he said. “Legislators must reject increased regulation, rent and price controls. They should jump at opportunities to reduce regulation and bureaucracy and unleash building.” In Oregon, lawmakers are considering legislation that would impose rent control on mobile home parks and require indoor cooling in apartments with at least 10 units. The National Apartment Association predicts other states might consider rent stabilization measures as well. Housing will be a chief priority for some state lawmakers going into the next sessions. One of Democratic state Sen. Stanley Chang’s goals when he heads back to Hawaii’s legislative floor on Jan. 15 is to change how quickly the state uses its rental housing revolving fund. Under the current system, Chang said, roughly $519 million the state holds in the fund might not be spent until 2038. “Housing finance reform has been our top priority for years,” he said. “This program alone funds over half of all new housing construction in Hawaii — it’s the primary way we produce housing in the state. If we tweak this program, we could get 10 buildings for the price of one.” Chang added, however, that the scale of the affordable housing problem is too complex to boil down to one or two issues or solutions. “Housing isn’t just one issue: It’s the foundation of everything. Affordability, homelessness, economic mobility — they all hinge on whether we can provide enough housing. It’s time to stop treating this as a side project and recognize it as a central priority,” Chang told Stateline. “This is a solvable problem.”

Hawaii Senate Bill Would Create New Top Tax Bracket Law360 Jaqueline McCool January 28, 2025 Original Article Hawaii would create a new income tax bracket to impose a higher rate on joint income over $1.9 million beginning in 2030 under a bill that passed first reading in the...

Hawaiʻi Senate committees holding briefing on impacts of federal tariffs, cuts on agriculture Big Island Now October 13, 2025 Original Article The Hawaiʻi Senate Committee on Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment are holding an informational briefing about the impacts of recent federal policy changes, tariffs and funding cuts on the state’s agriculture industry and food production availability. “The Judiciary Committee is looking to hear from industry and department experts in agriculture and biosecurity for a clearer understanding of the local impacts from the administration’s recent policy changes,” said Sen. Karl Rhoads, chair of the Committee on Judiciary, in a press release. He added: “Hawaiʻi’s agriculture and food industries are externally dependent and could see serious impacts from federal decisions.” The hearing will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. in Conference Room 16 of the Hawaiʻi State Capitol in Honolulu. It also will be shown via videoconference . Sen. Mike Gabbard, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment, said: “Our goal is to ensure that local farmers, ranchers and the agricultural community have an opportunity to discuss on-the-ground effects of the changes we are continuing to see federally.” The impacts include increased costs due to tariffs and uncertainty around federal support. “These impacts are immediate,” Gabbard said. “We need to listen, understand and advocate for policies that strengthen Hawai‘i’s food security and protect our agricultural future.” The hearing’s agenda includes an overview Brian Miyamoto, executive director of the Hawaiʿi Farm Bureau. It also includes presentations by Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture & Biosecurity; Amanda Shaw, director of food systems with the Oʻahu Resource Conservation & Development Council; Suzanne Shriner, administrator of Synergistic Hawaiʻi Agriculture Council; Hunter Heaivilin, advocacy director of the Hawai’i Farmers Union United; and Amy Miller, president and CEO of the Hawaiʻi Foodbank. This briefing is part of a series of informational briefings on the rule of law in relation to the recent actions of the Trump Administration and how its decisions are impacting Hawaiʻi. Information about past and upcoming briefings can be accessed on the Senate Judiciary Committee webpage .