Government & Politics
News
Community Voices: Let’s close the book on school impact fees
It's not just big developers who have to pay these fees, which add to the cost of housing, even individuals adding an ADU have to come up with thousands of dollars.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.March 14, 2025
Kaua‘i, Maui leaders offer county updates
Aloha State Daily has the highlights from Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami's State of the County address Thursday morning and Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen's address, which he gave March 7.
Stephanie SalmonsMarch 14, 2025
Kaua‘i County boosts local farms
For the second year, Kaua‘i County's Office of Economic Development has funded Agriculture Farm Expansion Grants. The 12 selected project proposals received a combined total of $637,429.
Stephanie SalmonsMarch 13, 2025
Community Voices: Taxpayers need a break from old liens
Why the Tax Foundation of Hawai‘i drafted a bill to stop the state Department of Taxation from leaving liens on taxpayers on the books past their 15-year statute of limitations.
Tom YamachikaMarch 10, 2025
First phase of Kapi‘olani Boulevard roadwork set to be finished this summer
The work is part of a project that is being completed in two phases. The first phase spans from Harding Avenue to Atkinson Drive, while the second phase — work on which hasn't started yet — will continue from Atkinson Drive to Ward Avenue.
Stephanie SalmonsMarch 08, 2025
School vaccine measure HB1118 is dead for this session
A unanimous vote by the House on Tuesday shelved the controversial bill that would bar religious exemptions to vaccines at Hawaiʻi schools.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosMarch 08, 2025
Community Voices: Kōloa Rum challenge could be what kills the Jones Act
Recently, there has been momentum in Congress to revisit the law, which for more than a hundred years has been limiting shipping competition between U.S. ports and had an outsized negative impact on the residents of Hawai‘i and other U.S. states and territories who rely heavily on waterborne transportation for their imports.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.March 07, 2025
Honolulu looks to redevelop Iwilei property
The city is seeking a development partner to transform the Iwilei Center into a mixed-use, transit-oriented community.
Stephanie SalmonsMarch 07, 2025
How is Hawai‘i faring? A new survey asked and more than 900 residents responded.
In the latest survey of resident sentiment by Pacific Resource Partnership, growing numbers of people feel the state is on the wrong track, remains too expensive — and their fear of crime is on the rise.
Stephanie SalmonsMarch 06, 2025
Hawai‘i distillery sues over Jones Act
The legislation requires cargo transported between U.S. ports to be carried on vessels that are built in the U.S., and are owned and crewed by U.S. citizens. ASD spoke with the attorney representing the Hawai‘i-based business that says the Jones Act puts the distillery at a disadvantage.
Stephanie SalmonsMarch 05, 2025
Community Voices: A Stealthy Tax Hike
Employers could be hit with a 42% increase in what they pay in state unemployment insurance taxes under a bill being considered by the Legislature.
Tom YamachikaMarch 03, 2025
Community organizations advocate for Hawaiʻi’s working families at the Capitol
HCAN Speaks!, the lobbying arm of Hawaiʻi Children Action Network, spearheaded its first Working Families Day at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on Friday, complete with a resource fair featuring more than 50 nonprofits, family activities and a rally around legislation. Here’s what government and nonprofit leaders said about their efforts.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosMarch 01, 2025
New shelter prioritizes brain and behavioral health
The Kumu Ola Hou Iwilei Transitional Shelter is a collaboration between the city, which owns the the Iwilei Center, where the shelter is located, and the state, which is providing funding to the Institute for Human Services to manage the facility.
Stephanie SalmonsMarch 01, 2025
Community Viewpoint: If we’re not careful, nearly everything will become ‘historic’
More than 2,500 non-residential and 100,000 residential structures in Hawai‘i were built between 1970 and 1980, and they are aging into the historic category, triggering lengthy reviews by the Hawaiʻi State Historic Preservation Division before owners can change or replace them.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.February 28, 2025
With HB1118 advancing, here’s a look at the state mandated vaccines for public school kids
As the measure that would stop new religious exemptions to vaccines at Hawaiʻi schools moves on to the Senate, readers may be wondering what vaccines are currently required and who decides how they get on the state's list. ASD spoke to DOE and DOH officials about the requirements. We also examined more than 2,000 pages of testimony submitted on HB118 on Feb. 21 and found that more than 1,600 people opposed eliminating the religious exemption, while 75 supported eliminating the exemption.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 28, 2025
Legislation seeks to provide funding for Hawai‘i Technology Development Corp.
Legislators initially sought $6 million for the agency for grants to small businesses, temporarily tripling its budget. That amount is now in flux.
Stephanie SalmonsFebruary 28, 2025
HANO’s Melissa Miyashiro navigates federal funding concerns, prepares for local impacts to nonprofits
Meet the executive director of Hawaiʻi Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, who is tracking changes happening at the federal and state levels, to help strengthen the local sector by providing information and resources.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 28, 2025
3 strategies to address childhood homelessness in Hawaiʻi
Family Promise of Hawaiʻi held its first-ever Childhood Homelessness Symposium on Tuesday, which brought together nearly 200 local and national experts and stakeholders to help inspire solutions for childhood homelessness statewide. Topics included homelessness among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, early childhood education, affordable housing and more.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 26, 2025
Why this mom is advocating for water safety statewide
On Feb. 28, which is the 21st anniversary of her daughter's death, Allison Schaefers Dubovsky will visit the detention pond where 5-year-old Charlotte “Sharkey” Schaefers drowned rescuing her friend. The bereaved mom shares how advocating for legislation and developing a water safety plan this year will help prevent drowning in Hawaiʻi.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 24, 2025
Community Voices: Political problems not the same as true emergencies
Hawai‘i is operating under multiple emergency orders from the Governor's office, often extended over years, for pressing problems that can and should be handled by the ordinary democratic process.
Keliʻi Akina & Ph.D.February 22, 2025
Community Viewpoint: This Hawai‘i tax break could be a tax hike
Any increase to the GET, such as the one proposed, falls hardest on people with the least income.
Tom YamachikaFebruary 22, 2025
Aloha Freedom Coalition rallies against vaccine bill HB1118
The grassroots organization hosted a rally at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on Thursday opposing legislation that would bar new non-medical exemptions to vaccines at schools.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 22, 2025
Capitol buzzes amid Hawai‘i Farm Bureau’s annual Ag Day
Organizations that support local food production convened Thursday at the Hawai‘i State Capitol to boost awareness of bills this legislative session. Tai-li Medeiros from Kauaʻi County Farm Bureau, who was passing out apples and other produce donated by Garden Isle farmers, said the event is great for networking.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 20, 2025
Diamond Head State Monument to temporarily close in March, April
Contractors will work to stabilize loose rocks around the Kāhala Tunnel as part of a rockfall mitigation project underway.
Stephanie SalmonsFebruary 20, 2025