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Hawaiʻi officials worry bills to help property owners with coastal erosion could put public beaches at risk
A proposal in the State Legislature calls for lifting the current ban on private shoreline hardening to allow minimal use to help property owners.
Legislation would redefine what’s a ‘historic’ building in Hawaiʻi
A bill that would change rules for assessing “historic” buildings in Hawaiʻi has crossed over from the Senate and is being considered by the state House of Representatives. Senate Bill 15 Senate Draft 1 would amend the definition of “historic property” by requiring that a property meets the criteria for inclusion in the Hawai‘i Register […]
House panel calls for fix of disrepairs at state parks and small boat harbors
The House Committee on Water & Land recommended favorable action Thursday on a bill to give the state Department of Land and Natural Resources more flexibility in responding to repairs and maintenance in state small boat harbors and parks.
House reverses course on pot legalization bill
The Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives has returned to committee a bill aimed at legalizing recreational marijuana for adults aged 21 and older, a move likely to kill the measure this session in the House, disappointing advocates and sparking ongoing debate.
Bills to curb rent increases referred to committees, but no hearings scheduled yet
Bills have been referred to committees in both chambers of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to limit the amount landlords can raise rents for tenants at a time of desperate housing shortages and renters having few, if any, options if they can’t afford demands for higher monthly rent payments.
State funding sought for control of invasive species in Maui County
A House bill introduced by Maui County and Oʻahu legislators is seeking $3 million each in the next two fiscal years for the state Department of Agriculture to prevent and control little fire ants and coconut rhinoceros beetles on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.
Wildfire prevention bill set for public hearing Wednesday
A House bill requested by the administration of Gov. Josh Green aimed at preventing wildfires in Hawaiʻi will be heard by two House committees at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Wildfire prevention reforms called for in bills introduced at state Legislature
Companion House and Senate bills have been introduced to carry out in state laws wildfire prevention recommendations called for in the Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General’s “final and forward-looking report” on the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires that killed at least 102 and destroyed more than 2,000 structures.
‘Return-to-Home program’ proposed for homeless people to return to their home states
A bill introduced by 13 representatives in the state House calls for establishing a permanent “Return-to-Home program” with an as yet undetermined amount of funding to return homeless people in Hawaiʻi to their home states.
Housing bills vie for state lawmakers’ attention
With a bill introduction deadline looming on Thursday, state lawmakers already have nearly 150 measures to consider as ways to address Hawaii’s dire housing shortage, a problem even more acute on Maui after the August 2023 wildfires destroyed thousands of homes.
