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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Marco Garcia/APDon Lefeve, president and CEO of the American Car Rental Association, shares his concern about a bill that seeks to raise taxes on imported or purchased cars. -
Spc. Daniel Barcenas/DVIDSGov. Josh Green said he has put in a formal request for a presidential major disaster declaration so that the federal government will be able to cost-share with the state and county on recovery efforts.
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An effort to give the Commission on Water Resource Management more independence is still moving forward at the state Legislature, but with amendments. -
Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green discusses recovering after the Kona low storm, rising oil prices due to the Iran War, and the realities of incorporating liquefied natural gas as an energy source. -
Nearly 100 students from across the state gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday, donning bright pink “Breathe Aloha” T-shirts to protest against tobacco and electronic cigarettes. -
The state House passed the state's $20.5 billion budget, which starts in July. HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports that it incorporates impacts from federal funding while trying to preserve essential government services. -
A bill moving through the Capitol is looking to exempt meat from those animals from some state inspection and transportation rules — as long as they're donated to an organization specifically to feed those in need. -
Kauaʻi County Mayor Derek Kawakami has announced he will run for lieutenant governor, challenging current Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke for her spot on the fifth floor of the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. -
The proposal, shared by Gov. Josh Green's Office on Tuesday morning, details plans to overhaul Oʻahu's energy grid to run on a new fossil fuel. -
Cochran was elected to her seat in 2022 and is up for reelection this year. Her move to the other side of the aisle increases the House Republicans’ numbers to 10.
