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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This week, state senators held a briefing to get an update on the nurseries that have been knowingly selling plant material infested with little fire ants, one of the most problematic invasive species in Hawaiʻi.
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Gov. Josh Green has put together a Hawaiʻi Climate Advisory Team to study policies for disaster prevention. HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports on what that means for the state.
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The One ʻOhana fund is a $175 million settlement program for families of the 101 people who were killed in last year’s Maui wildfires, or for people who were hospitalized and severely injured from the disaster.
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Last Friday was the deadline for lawmakers to move bills out of their final committee hearings. But Gov. Josh Green tried to resurrect a key wildfire mitigation measure over the weekend.
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House Bill 2074 would appropriate more than $3.5 million to fund 13 full-time positions at the kaiapuni schools. The measure needs a full floor vote in both chambers before it heads to the governor’s office for final approval.
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Growers want a measure to protect their crops and farms, while commercial nut brands say what Hawaiʻi needs is more capacity to process mac nuts locally.
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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.