Aloha and welcome to Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s coverage of the 2024 legislative session.
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Hawaiʻi's two electric utilities briefed the Senate on Thursday about their wildfire mitigation efforts since the Aug. 8 fires. The vast majority of the 3.5-hour briefing was dedicated to Hawaiian Electric.
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The 2024 Hawaiʻi legislative session is heading into the home stretch. Both chambers must discuss and agree on changes to measures that have survived this far. Here's how that process works.
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Hawaiian Electric faces its share of recovery costs and legal fees related to the Maui wildfires. State lawmakers are debating whether or not to allow the utility to recoup some of those expenses through securitization — a fancy term for public financing of utility debt. HPR's Savannah Harriman-Pote has more.
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A joint Senate committee has passed a resolution on Monday that would help identify cats and dogs killed on Hawai‘i roadways.
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Last week the Senate Committee on Ways and Means allocated the funding in House Bill 2619. That money would go toward more than 100 new and existing DOA positions related to the state’s management of invasive species.
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Lawmakers are considering a resolution that would address vegetation management to reduce risks of future wildfires. The group would focus on invasive, flammable grasses along utility lines and other vegetation growing on utility poles.
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Two measures that would allow counties to begin phasing out non-conforming use permits for transient vacation rental units passed out of both of their chambers. It would give counties more control over short-term rentals. HPR's Ashley Mizuo has more.
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The state Legislature is still working on measures addressing marijuana this session — not legalization, but increasing the amount covered by decriminalization. The attention to the regulation of the substance has raised questions about clearing criminal records for marijuana convictions under old laws. HPR's Ashley Mizuo reports.
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Anyone convicted of unauthorized driving three times would be guilty of a Class C felony under House Bill 2526. A driver’s vehicle could also be taken away.
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While Hawaiʻi has one of the highest rates of rooftop solar per capita, multi-family homes face barriers to adoption. Lawmakers are considering a bill that would help condo owners reap the benefits of solar.