#Kirstin Kahaloa

With a statewide regional kitchen master plan now in motion, the Hawai‘i Department of Education is turning its attention to transforming school menus to feature more locally grown and produced foods.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., has signed into law Act 242, which strengthens labeling requirements for māmaki tea grown in Hawai‘i. Signed on June 27, 2025, the law became effective on July 1 and prohibits the use of certain words and misleading Hawaiian imagery, place names and motifs on the label of a consumer package that contains or includes tea or dried leaves from the māmaki plant, Pipturus albidus, unless 100% of the tea or dried leaves from the māmaki is grown in Hawai‘i.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., signed five bills into law on Friday, affirming the commitment to strengthening Hawaiʻi’s agricultural and economic sectors for the benefit of the ʻāina, its people and local businesses.

The Hawaiʻi State Senate and House of Representatives today announced the passage of House Bill 427, aimed at strengthening the state’s biosecurity system to combat invasive species and protect the islands’ environment and agriculture.

A bill to exempt state-financed housing developments from county council approval has passed second reading on the Hawaiʻi Senate floor and advanced to the Ways and Means Committee.

The Hawaiʻi Senate Ways and Means Committee passed Senate Bill 222, which would fund an illegal fireworks task force. Although the amount of funding is not specified, the measure is now headed for third reading on the Senate floor before crossing over to the House of Representatives.

After a nearly three-hour hearing, members of the House committees on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture & Food Systems voted Tuesday afternoon to recommend passage of a bill to legalize adult recreational marijuana use.

A coffee labeling bill to protect local farmers and preserve the authenticity of Hawaiʻi-grown products has passed the 2024 Legislative Session and is expected to become law upon the governor’s signature.

On Aug. 8, 2023, as wildfires raged in Lahaina, Maui, the Big Island was simultaneously fighting seven separate wildfires in Kohala. With a High Wind Warning in effect, county officials said they recognized the imperative need for a unified, vigilant approach to monitoring the unfolding situation across the state.