...good news and bad news for Hawaii's taxpayers during this past legislative session....

... This week Congress will vote on H.R. 5, the Equality Act, sweeping legislation that would add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the definition of sex throughout federal law .... 

...With an overwhelming majority of the votes State Chair Shirlene Ostrov was re-elected for another two years. With the same overwhelming majority of votes or by acclimation her hand picked slate of candidates were also elected....

...Hawaii has the 2nd-most treatment centers per drug user....

...DHHL is accepting comments regarding proposed administrative rules for Planned Communities, Multi-Family Complexes, and Rental Housing until Monday, May 13, 2019....

... We control the purse strings, so we said no to a lot of their money. They reversed some of their decisions. We gave them some money. So the tension worked ....

... Hawaii: Combined State-Federal Corporate Income Tax Rate 26.1% ....

...In Hawaii, state law imposes a registration requirement on almost all firearms. Under a bill signed into law in June 2016, Hawaii became the first state to couple this registration requirement to the Rap Back service....

...Vice President for Community Colleges John Morton has recommended to University of Hawaiʻi President David Lassner the appointment of Carlos Penaloza as the next chancellor for Leeward Community College. The effective date of the appointment is July 1, 2019....

...The FSM Congress elected Pohnpei Senator David W. Panuelo President and Kosrae Senator Yosiwo P. George as Vice President....

...once she saw how anti-GMO groups operate and began investigating the science behind biotechnology, she changed her mind....

...there may be as many as 30 stabilization beds at WGH by early next year....

...The Hawaii Legislature approved 303 bills, among which were measures clarifying what people must do in crosswalks with countdown timers, determining who is allowed to drive “low speed electric bicycles,” and expanding the prohibition on the capturing or killing of manta rays to all rays. ...

...the PUC erred by failing to explicitly consider the reduction of GHG emissions in approving the Amended PPA, as required by statute....

..."What now for rail?" was the question considered by three prominent guests at a sold-out luncheon event sponsored last week by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii....

... Weekly update from GovTrack.us ....

...The Hawaii Constitution also has a clause that protects citizens from excessive fines, making it even more likely that someone will challenge the enormous fines associated with this proposal....

...allowing a non-city entity's logo to be adopted as part of the official uniform would give the non-city entity preferential treatment....

...Three Potential Replacements Would Only Make It Worse....

... Another climate lie bites the dust ....