Aloha and welcome to Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s coverage of the 2024 legislative session.
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A bill to provide universal free school meals in Hawaiʻi is once again in jeopardy at the state Legislature. The Senate Committee on Education needs to schedule a hearing for House Bill 1775 by Monday for it to move on this session.
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A pinky and thumb extended with the remaining fingers curled down: That’s the “shaka” in Hawaiʻi. It's sometimes known outside the islands as the “hang loose” sign associated with surf culture. But in Hawaiʻi, where it originated, it's a more common and nuanced gesture.
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The House of Representatives passed the state’s $11.3 billion budget on Thursday. Maui fire recovery accounts for a 10th of the state budget– about $1 billion.
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If passed, Senate Bill 3207 would remove the salary cap for Hawaiʻi’s public schools’ superintendent and allow the amount to be set by the Board of Education.
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A bill that would allow the state Commission on Water Resource Management to hire its own legal counsel is receiving pushback from the state’s largest law firm: the attorney general’s office. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi explains.
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Voters may be asked if judges can remain on the bench for a few years longer. Judges are required to retire at 70 years old. But lawmakers are considering putting it to voters to increase the retirement age to 75 years old.
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A new report by the Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice argues that the state would be better off without jaywalking laws.
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There is a push this legislative session to improve the criminal record expungement process. HPR's Ashley Mizuo explains the details of two proposals facing lawmakers.
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Eighteen local organizations are gearing up to convene at the state Capitol on Tuesday for the first-ever legislative Environment Day.
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EPA assistant director on monitoring for PFAS in groundwater; Environmental Day at the Capitol; Roosevelt High School alum named one of USA Today's Women of the Year