Following the closure of the state Legislature on Thursday, Gov. David Ige remained coy over what will leave his desk signed or vetoed in the coming weeks.
“The package and legislation is responsive to the priority needs of our community," Ige said at a Thursday press conference. “I really would be looking at the next 45 days to make an assessment in the best interest of our community.”
The 60-day session included the passing of “historic" bills including committing $1 billion toward Native Hawaiian issues by the way of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Office of Hawaiian Affairs; incremental steps in raising minimum wage to $18 by 2028; a $1 billion affordable housing package; and reforms on cash bail.
“We had an opportunity this session after two really, really difficult years of having to deal with billion dollar deficits and considering layoffs and furloughs,” Ige said. “This was the first session where the financial condition of the state was supportive of restoring cuts and really moving forward on various initiatives.”
While he hasn’t had the in-depth overview of every bill and budget, Ige said he felt like most of the administration’s priorities in the capital improvement project budget were appropriately funded, especially coming at a time when revenues exceeded expectations.
“We're in a better situation now than we were even back in December when I was required to submit the budget,” Ige said.
Lawmakers passed HB 1600, which features an operating budget of $8.7 billion and about $6 billion in capital improvement projects, earlier this week.
“We do look forward to making investments in public infrastructure, at the same time responding to the needs in our community,” Ige said.
Ige did voice slight concern regarding a progressive cash bail reformation that would eliminate cash bail on non-violent misdemeanors and Class C felonies for most offenders without prior offenses.
Facing overcrowding at jails and prisons during the pandemic, the state allowed some low-level offenders to be released.
“We did see in the instance of COVID, when we had released a lot of people because of the COVID situation that there were many — or several — that reoffended while out on bail,” Ige said. “(We need to) make certain that we can identify those who continue to pose a danger to the community at the same time as releasing them, I think is the challenge before all of us.”
In his closing day remarks, House Speaker Scott Saiki said this session saw advancements in “complicated and controversial issues.”
“It was a breakthrough because the Legislature envisioned the possible and implemented it,” Saiki said. “In the process, you (lawmakers) were unafraid to take on the most complicated and controversial issues.”
