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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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.
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An acute housing shortage hitting fire survivors on Maui is squeezing out residents even as they try to overcome the loss of loved ones, their homes and their community. The situation is prompting state lawmakers to consider giving counties the authority to phase out vacation rentals.
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Nearly two dozen students from Hawaiian immersion schools on Maui have traveled to the state Capitol multiple times this legislative session with a simple message. The high court’s unanimous decision found the state attorney general's office made false statements to try to exploit the Maui wildfires to advance its own interests.
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Despite sizable public opposition, lawmakers are racing to finalize a bill that could pass the costs of the Maui wildfires onto ratepayers. HPR's Maddie Bender and Savannah Harriman-Pote explain what that means for Hawaiian Electric and its customers.
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Long-term funding could finally be coming to the state’s DA BUX program. The initiative cuts the price in half for eligible produce grown by Hawaiʻi farmers, and this year’s state budget bill could allocate a recurring $1 million annually to DA BUX.
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A state legislative bill to create a pilot program for a state-initiated expungement process for Hawaiʻi County passed a final reading in the House and will be transmitted to Gov. Josh Green for approval.