The changing of the guard in Washington, D.C., next January will bring much uncertainty to long-standing institutions and policies.
HPR talked to Gov. Josh Green about President-elect Donald Trump's picks for top positions in his next administration.
Green expressed concern over some of Trump's Cabinet appointments, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as Dr. Mehmet Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The governor also shared his concerns about the $4 billion settlement for victims of the 2023 Maui wildfires, which has yet to be finalized. According to lawyers working on the agreement, an ongoing dispute with insurance companies is jeopardizing the settlement.
Green told HPR that without a settlement, Hawaiʻi could be forced to reorganize its market for property insurance.
"I will tell you, I'm trying to settle this amicably. The Supreme Court is going to rule sometime next month. They'll take their input from both parties, but in my opinion, we're going to put people and victims ahead of the major insurers. I have said this quite bluntly, because that is what should happen. The insurance industry has been holding out for $1.6 billion and I, you know, I have a reasonable offer on the table for them, much less than that, closer to $600 million as part of the settlement.
Green continued, "So I hope that people are taking that to heart. It is not grandstanding. It's just reality. And I think our people on Maui and all across our state should have the benefit of this help. Now, if insurers don't decide to insure markets like Hawaiʻi and California and Louisiana, where there are a lot of storms and risk, then yes, we'll have to solve the problem in other ways, and captive insurance, creating our own insurance model that does not have a profit, just covers costs, is something we could consider."
If the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court rules in favor of the settlement, that would clear the way to allocate payment to fire victims.
If it rules in favor of the insurers, it would likely kill the proposed settlement, further delaying payment to fire victims.
A decision is expected by early next year.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Nov. 21, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
A excerpt of this interview aired on HPR-1 on Nov. 28, 2024.
