Entries for March 2026

... JSC sends Green list of five nominees ....

... the Governor must appoint a judge from a list of nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission within 30 days ....

... with HSTA Maui Chapter President Ashley Olsen challenging Cochran in the Dem Primary, Cochran had no chance as a Democrat ....

... The bills we have been tracking have passed THIRD Reading and have now crossed over to the opposite chamber ....

...The buildout of 3,500 new homes at Koa Ridge in Central O‘ahu continued in 2025 for homebuilder Castle & Cooke....

...Hawaii leads the nation, where about 1 in 13 households include three generations living together....

... the Jones Act “has been identified as a central factor in Hawaii’s reliance on foreign oil" ....

...Maui Cultural Resources Commission could need to sign off on more than 100 rebuilding plans for properties in the Lahaina National Historic Landmark District or one of the county’s historic zoning districts, yet it has approved only six since the fires....

“Forfeiture-land is a place where the normal rules don’t work.”

... The Hawaiʻi Legislature passed sweeping income tax cuts in 2024 to help prevent residents from moving away in search of a lower cost of living ....

... state and county testimonies submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in the first half of March 2026 ....

... We reviewed 76 House and Senate bills introduced during the 2026 legislative session, proposing 52 special and revolving funds. None of the proposed funds satisfied the criteria set forth in Section 23-11, HRS, for special and revolving funds ....

...Two important housing reform measures were unexpectedly killed this week as the state House and Senate prepared for “crossover” at the Legislature....

... House on recess--votes cast in US Senate ....

... What will likely follow will be a bit of negotiating, most of which will occur behind closed doors ....

... Report Uncovers Thousands of Non-Citizens on Voter Rolls, Stonewalling by Officials ....

... With the administration seeking seven years' worth of detailed data from every U.S. university by next week, a coalition of states says student privacy and institutional funding are at risk ....

... six Alaska Native Corporation-owned firms and 11 Native Hawaiian Organization-owned firms listed as suspended .... 

City officials are coordinating closely with Hawaiian Electric to restore full service as quickly as possible....

"...The next scheduled public update will be provided on Friday, March 20, 2026...." 

... For legislative seats, 61 Democrats and 33 Republicans have pulled papers ....

... Failure of the dam could result in catastrophic flooding ....

"Requires release on recognizance for defendants charged with violations, traffic offenses, nonviolent petty misdemeanors, nonviolent misdemeanors, and nonviolent class C felonies"

...In 2022, the state law determining the process for calculating RPS changed....

... only Ulupono has expressed its support ....

... Hawai‘i’s Economy Shows Resilience Despite Global Uncertainty ....

... to ensure that individuals required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect, have the knowledge and tools necessary to carry out this critical responsibility ....

... Three seats are up for appointment ....

... McKenna today appointed two individuals to serve in the District Court of the First Circuit (island of Oʻahu), and one individual to serve in the District Court of the Third Circuit (island of Hawaiʻi) ....

... Six months ago, James Comey and Letitia James had likely never heard of PLF client Eliza Wille or her dolphin therapy practice in Kona ....

...Riley used the online app Grindr to meet five boys who ranged in age from 14 to 16 years old....

... give VA attorneys the legal authority to initiate and participate in state court guardianship or conservatorship proceedings in cases where a legal decision-maker is required for post-acute transitions of care for these vulnerable Veterans ....

...He possessed over 200 images of child pornography, including at least one image that depicted an infant and other images that depicted prepubescent minors....

... the 2021 murder of Malakai "Mo" Maumalanga, a fake gang counselor paid by ‘Adult Friends for Youth’ ....

...Miske and others conspired to obstruct an earlier criminal forfeiture proceeding by smuggling fentanyl into prison so that Miske could die by overdose and thereby thwart the forfeiture of his criminal proceeds, estimated at over $20 million....

...Department of Homeland Security proposal includes required production and review of years of travelers’ social media history....

...The issue:  Would voters favor Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami over incumbent Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke in the August 8, 2026 Democratic Primary race....

...The audit does not mention the $10,000 Luke initially accepted from lobbyist Tobi Solidum and his stepdaughter before Solidum fled the country....

... 15 fewer traffic deaths than the same period last year ....

...an intercity bus costs less than $300,000, but in 2023 and 2024 transit agencies spent an average of more than $1.1 million....

“How is it that very profitable development went from under $100/SF in rural towns to over $600/SF in big cities in less than two decades?”

... Testimony matters.  Silence is what doesn’t work. ...

... Rideshare drivers — also referred to as transportation network company (TNC) drivers — are required to file tax returns and pay GET on their gross income or gross proceeds, including any discretionary tips they receive. ....

... four bills remain alive and have successfully cleared their committee hearings. These measures are now pending third reading ....

... bills introduced and votes in Congress ....

... is it really a loophole? ....

...Lawmakers on the committees considering the proposed pause were inundated this past week with testimony against the bills....

... Election Day 2020, 2022, and 2024 were marred by long lines around Honolulu Hale and Kapiolani Hale forcing voters to wait hours to cast their ballot. ...

... Keanu Sai must be very proud ....

... the plan is more aspirational than operational ....