Ashley Mizuo
Government ReporterAshley Mizuo is Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s government reporter. She previously worked at Crooked Media producing two podcasts: "Pod Save the World" and "Strict Scrutiny." Before that, she was the City Hall reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and a general assignment reporter at HPR.
Born and raised on O’ahu, she's a graduate of ‘Iolani School and has a bachelor's in journalism and political science from Loyola University Chicago and a master's in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois-Springfield.
When she's not reporting she can be found running, surfing (badly), consuming excessive amounts of coffee and obsessing over Taylor Swift.
Contact her at amizuo@hawaiipublicradio.org or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ashleymizuo.
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Bills are on their way to the governor, and state lawmakers are already looking into the future. The legislative session wrapped up Friday with lawmakers passing the country’s first Green Fee — a tax on tourists to support the climate. HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports. -
Lawmakers passed a measure that will give $50 million in grants to nonprofits that have been impacted by federal cuts. Rep. Della Au Belatti raised concerns about transparency because the bill exempts the evaluation committee from having meetings open to the public. -
State lawmakers passed hundreds of bills this week. That’s a lot to keep track of, so with the legislative session over as of Friday evening, HPR is narrowing it down to the important bills we’ve been tracking. -
A bill that would have banned assault rifles in Hawaiʻi stalled on one of the last days of this legislative session. The bill sought to ban the sale and possession of semi-automatic assault rifles beginning in 2026. -
Hawaiʻi lawmakers passed the state budget Wednesday that includes $30 million to complete the planning for a new jail to replace the deteriorating and overpopulated Oʻahu Community Correctional Center. -
While lawmakers are considering many bills ahead of the end of the 2025 session on Friday, here at Hawaiʻi Public Radio, we’ve narrowed down the topics to the top four we’re paying close attention to. -
Online sports betting will not be legalized this legislative session. Lawmakers decided to defer the measure Friday afternoon. The bill would have allowed online sports betting and taxed it at a 10% rate. -
A measure that would ban the purchase of assault rifles is heading to a final vote in the state Legislature. If it passes, Hawaiʻi would become the 11th state to adopt this type of ban.
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Advocates were calling on lawmakers to consider a bill that would set baseline protections for tenants displaced by the construction of a new affordable housing development. HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports. -
Although House lawmakers passed a resolution to study legalizing gambling in Hawaiʻi, another measure that legalizes sports betting is still being considered. The bill would legalize online sports betting and tax it at a 10% rate. HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports.
