Hawaiʻi County Council

As Maui County faces lawsuits over a new law that phases out thousands of short-term vacation rentals, vacation rental owners on Hawaiʻi Island have been given more time before new registration requirements take effect.

Hawaiʻi County Council Member Ashley Kierkiewicz spoke to HPR's Bill Dorman about recent discussions to change the island's affordable housing rules.

The bill would ban food providers and permittees at County of Hawaiʻi facilities from using disposable polystyrene or plastic containers and utensils.

The council moved Bill 51 through its final hearing Wednesday in a 6-2 vote after fierce debate and passionate testimony by the public and council members.

Hawaiʻi County Council member Matt Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder and Elaine Partlow from Action 4 Animals Hawaii sit down with HPR’s Maddie Bender to debate a bill that would prohibit feeding stray or feral animals on county property.

Hawaiʻi County lawmakers are moving a bill to ban the feeding of feral animals on county property. However, that is despite the swaths of testimony calling it inhumane and counterproductive to controlling feral populations.

Bill 51 proposes fining those who are caught feeding stray and feral animals on County of Hawaiʻi land — $50 for first-time violators and up to $500 for repeat offenses.

Bill 47 is a renewed effort by some council members to reform what the measure calls “transient vacation rentals,” or short-term rentals offered on sites like Airbnb and Vrbo.

County law currently only allows chickens to be raised on agricultural land, but Bill 52 would let residents have “household henneries” for non-commercial egg production.

The Hawaiʻi County Council has adopted a measure asking the state Agriculture and Health departments to work with farmers as they respond to the contagious avian flu.