Government & Politics

Community Voices: Fighting to save Hawai‘i's income tax cuts

Bills before the Legislature to claw back tax relief were met with stiff opposition from voters. These proposals to abandon announced tax relief have eroded public trust — and raised a lot of questions about our government’s commitment to reducing Hawai‘i’s cost of living.

Keliʻi AkinaMarch 10, 2026

Green issues emergency proclamation as storm approaches

Kona low expected to sweep across state this week.

Michael BrestovanskyMarch 09, 2026

Former congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa dead at 74

Flags to fly at half-staff over the weekend in commemoration of the state's first female Senate President.

Michael BrestovanskyMarch 06, 2026

Farm to School program leaves student lunches "essentially unchanged," audit finds

The Department of Education has until 2030 to ensure that 30% of school meals be made of locally sourced food. By 2025, the department managed only 5.4%.

Michael BrestovanskyMarch 06, 2026

CONGRESS WATCH: Unanimous consent

Congress has passed more than a dozen bills this week so far without any debate or dissent.

Michael BrestovanskyMarch 05, 2026

Kona residents urge action over parking woes

County Council bill would limit parking charges in Kailua Village

Michael BrestovanskyMarch 04, 2026

CONGRESS WATCH: Hawai‘i delegation condemns Iran strike

Military in Hawai‘i on standby while lawmakers demand accountability from the president.

Michael BrestovanskyMarch 03, 2026

More money won’t fix what’s broken in Hawai‘i’s schools

A bill before the Legislature would give the state powers it has never had to tax property, arguing it would give to money to education. The state wants us to forget that Hawai‘i's public schools already have enormous tax funding available to no other state — direct access to our income taxes and the GET we pay on every purchase we make. ASD columnist Sterling Higa has a counter proposal.

Sterling HigaMarch 03, 2026

Community Voices: The Cruise Fee Quandary

The state argues that the Green Fee isn’t a tax on maritime traffic but the cruise ship industry says otherwise.

Tom YamachikaMarch 03, 2026

Community Voices: The hidden problem with emergency powers

Bills currently before the Legislature would put some much needed restrictions on Hawai‘i's emergency powers law, which grant the governor and mayors extraordinary control with little accountability. They would also provide the Legislature with the means to end a declared emergency.

Keliʻi AkinaMarch 02, 2026

Partnership brings new EMT training program to West O’ahu

Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, in collaboration with The City and County of Honolulu, have launched a program that offers both classroom and hands-on training, to strengthen emergency medical services capacity, while creating career pathways for those on the Leeward Coast.

Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 28, 2026

Unsalvageable: 2019 boat insurance law doesn't work, audit finds

A 2019 law required boaters to have insurance to cover salvage costs in case of a grounding or shipwreck. That law was effectively unenforceable, a state audit has determined.

Michael BrestovanskyFebruary 28, 2026

UHERO report: Hawai‘i to recover from recession this year

UHERO economic forecast for the year is cautiously optimistic.

Michael BrestovanskyFebruary 27, 2026

Federal funding will support housing, transportation projects on Kaua‘i

Kaua‘i County will receive nearly $7.5 million for three projects.

Stephanie SalmonsFebruary 27, 2026

$Hamada: State of the Union — fractured$

Hamada: State of the Union — fractured

We're looking at a Congress in which one party would rather sit on its hands than stand or applaud the most basic decencies or functions of government.

Rick HamadaFebruary 26, 2026

The growth we say we want in Hawai‘i (but really don't)

Hawai‘i constantly says it wants economic growth but has been allergic to one thing necessary to make that happen: More people. We need bigger families, not smaller, and to be more welcoming to people moving to the Islands.

Sterling HigaFebruary 26, 2026

State pensions up for negotiation under proposed law

State agencies are concerned about a bill that allows government workers' unions to negotiate new retirement benefits.

Michael BrestovanskyFebruary 26, 2026

Emergency proclamation bill stirs controversy

A measure intended to limit the governor's ability to declare a state of emergency has citizens warning that it does the opposite. But does it?

Michael BrestovanskyFebruary 25, 2026

Community Voices: Time to tackle Hawaiʻi’s health care crisis

There are several significant health care bills still making their way through the Legislature. Perhaps the most important are those that would reform the state’s medical “certificate of need” regulations.

Keliʻi AkinaFebruary 24, 2026

Kaiser strike ends after nearly one month

Registered nurses and health care professionals at Moanalua Medical Center will return to work Tuesday after stalled negotiations resume.

Michael BrestovanskyFebruary 24, 2026

Mauna Kea leases could get 10-year extension under proposed bill

Bill progressing in the state Legislature could allow the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority to extend Mauna Kea master lease by 10 years.

Michael BrestovanskyFebruary 21, 2026

Pipikaula Corner: State government is the hazard

The Legislature said it was going to tackle Hawai‘i's affordability crisis. In killing tax relief on our grocery purchases, it's doing the opposite. Meanwhile, it's commandeering hundreds of millions to pay its own workers hazard pay for the Covid years.

A. Kam NapierFebruary 21, 2026

State Archives receive century-old Portuguese immigration records

The Portuguese Consulate in San Francisco gifted the state scans of immigration data from between 1878 and 1934.