HPR's coverage of the 2024 Hawaiʻi legislative session
Hawaiʻi Public Radio is tracking the latest news inside the Hawaiʻi State Capitol as bills progress through the 2024 legislative session, which runs from Jan. 17 to May 3.
In the wake of the August 2023 wildfires on Maui, lawmakers said they would focus on funding and supporting recovery efforts. At least 100 people died in the Lahaina fire, and thousands more lost their homes.
Hawaiʻi's Legislature operates on a biennial (two-year) system. 2024 is the second year of the current biennium. Bills that did not pass in 2023 can be revived at the same legislative stage they reached last year.
On this page, you'll also find interviews from HPR's The Conversation with state lawmakers, appointed officials, and elected leaders such as Gov. Josh Green.
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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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Senate Bill 582 would provide another $297 million for displaced Maui residents living in hotels. The other measure, Senate Bill 3068, would set aside $186 million for the state’s response to the Maui wildfires and mitigation efforts.
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A measure to allocate nearly $20 million during the next fiscal year to the state Department of Agriculture for biosecurity measures is being described by some as a "landmark" bill. Nearly $3.2 million would fund 44 new department positions to support biosecurity.
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A controversial measure to keep Hawaiian Electric in good financial standing after the Maui wildfires has died in the state Senate. The bill would have allowed HECO to issue ratepayer-backed bonds to fund wildfire mitigation efforts.
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Counties will likely have more control over short-term rentals after this legislative session. A measure that would give counties more regulatory power over short-term rentals passed out of conference. It’s one of the last major hurdles of the legislative process.
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Disagreement between the two chambers centers on concerns raised by the state attorney general’s office that the amendment to include the Water Commission is not relevant to the original bill.
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Gov. Josh Green has announced a new partnership with HomeAid Hawai‘i to build 450 units for Maui wildfire survivors who were not eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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Kim Coco Iwamoto spoke to The Conversation about the revenue the state would lose from passing HB 2653. She also shared her perspective as an heir to Roberts Hawaii, her family's tour and transportation company.