HPR's coverage of the Hawaiʻi legislative session
Hawaiʻi Public Radio is tracking the latest news inside the Hawaiʻi State Capitol as lawmakers work throughout the 2026 legislative session from Jan. 21 to May 8.
Hawaiʻi's Legislature operates on a biennial (two-year) system. 2025 was the first year of the upcoming biennium. Bills that did not pass in 2025 can be revived this year at the same legislative stage.
Keep checking this page to find interviews from HPR's The Conversation with state lawmakers, appointed officials, and leaders such as Gov. Josh Green, Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Speaker Nadine Nakamura.
Want more legislative coverage straight to your email? Subscribe to our weekday news newsletter, Akamai Recap, using the form at the bottom of the page or by clicking here.
Have a legislative tip or story idea for Hawaiʻi Public Radio? Contact us at news@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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Cathy Bussewitz/AP/APThe state Legislature's effort to preserve Hawai’i’s historic income tax break could have dire consequences for its solar energy efforts, according to industry leaders. -
Courtesy Milken Family FoundationState lawmakers are guaranteeing annual raises for public and charter school teachers that can be negotiated into their collective bargaining agreements.
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Devin Thomas, director of tax and budget policy at Hawaiʻi Appleseed, talks about its free online tool to help track the progress of the state budget. -
As Hawaiʻi lawmakers wrap up the 2026 legislative session, few measures related to culture and arts have made it through. -
Of the nearly 3,000 bills that were introduced at the Legislature, about 270 have made it to the final step of the legislative process. Most of the measures will be voted on a final time by the House and Senate on Wednesday, and the legislative session will end on Friday. That’s a lot to digest. So here at HPR, we’re breaking down what you need to know as the Legislature heads into its final week. -
The state's $20.3 billion budget has been finalized. The measure passed out of its last committee late Thursday night. It will next go for a final vote before both the full House and Senate.
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In its current form, Senate Bill 2471 is attempting to redefine such “artificial persons” and reduce their ability to spend on elections. -
Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Associate Judge Vladimir Devens was confirmed by the Senate to be the state’s next chief justice. Devens will fill the position left by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, who retired in September because of the 70-year-old age limit on judges in Hawaiʻi. -
In the proposed system, during the application process, eligible residents would automatically be registered to vote — unless they explicitly decline registration. -
It's crunch time at the Legislature as a key legislative deadline looms: conference. That's when lawmakers from both chambers negotiate language in bills before they get a final vote.
