HPR's coverage of the Hawaiʻi legislative session

Hawaiʻi Public Radio tracked the latest news inside the Hawaiʻi State Capitol as lawmakers worked throughout the 2025 legislative session from Jan. 15 to May 2.
Hawaiʻi's Legislature operates on a biennial (two-year) system. 2025 is the first year of the upcoming biennium. Bills that did not pass in 2025 can be revived in 2026 at the same legislative stage.
On this page, you'll also 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.
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Have a legislative tip or story idea for Hawaiʻi Public Radio? Contact us at news@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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The Conversation had a chance to speak with Gov. Josh Green on Wednesday morning to get the latest on the damage assessments across the state after Hawaiʻi's brush with tsunami activity.
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Have you ever wondered how the state determines which affordable housing projects get state and federal funding? HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports on the process and some changes under consideration.
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Act 133 directs the state House of Representatives to work with a group of state and county officials to investigate and recommend action that the Legislature can take to address permitting delays.
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Gov. Josh Green gives us an update on the effort to reconstitute the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority board and discusses low vaccination rates among students returning to the classroom in a few weeks.
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Gov. Josh Green appointed him to the position on Wednesday. Saiki started at the insurance division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs last year after losing his House seat to current Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto.
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In a bill-signing ceremony Wednesday, Gov. Josh Green enacted a reform to the state's Contractor Repair Act, which gives contractors and property owners the option to fix building issues without lawsuits.
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Gov. Josh Green signed a measure Wednesday to provide additional funding to nonprofits impacted by federal cuts. But HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports some are raising constitutional issues about the new law.