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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Allison Dinner/APThe ongoing government shutdown and imminent suspension of SNAP benefits are driving people to call the 211 hotline for help, said Jennifer Pecher, vice president of AUW's 211 Community Response Programs. -
Office of Gov. Josh GreenThe state is moving forward with two different relief programs to fill the gap left by the suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Gov. Josh Green shared the latest.
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In response to the federal government shutdown and its effects on SNAP food benefits, the state is setting aside $100 million to help eligible families with housing and utility payments. -
Last year, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and the Center for Reproductive Rights represented midwives who brought a lawsuit against the state. The parties settled the case last week. -
Certain issues seem to come before Hawaiʻi's Legislature each session. One is the legalization of marijuana, with strong views on both sides. But in Hawaiʻi, there's one perspective that sets it apart. We get more on that story from Pacific Business News Editor in Chief Janis Magin. -
State Insurance Commissioner Scott Saiki spoke to The Conversation’s Catherine Cruz about Hawaiʻi's insurance landscape. -
Jeff Mikulina of the Green Fee Advisory Council spoke to The Conversation's Catherine Cruz about accepting public input on how to use millions of dollars in revenue from the new "Green Fee."
