... Hold on to your wallet ....

... We are 17 days through the 31st Legislature. The "People's" building is still closed and it doesn't look like Senator Kouchi, Speaker Saiki or Governor Ige are interested in opening it up. ...

... Road map to prosperity ....

... you can't let your guard down when our esteemed legislators get together ....

... Historically, according the Legislative Reference Bureau, only 10% of bills introduced become law ....  

... Provisions included in the COMPETES Act, a major measure to strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness, domestic capacity and supply chains ....

... New pilot program to offer lower rate as incentive for businesses, building owners to host EV chargers ....

... This is in order to comply with the recent Yukutake v. Connors court case decision ....

... thus raising the state’s top income tax rate from 11% to 13% ....

... OHA’s Ka Wailele Emergency Financial Assistance Program is being administered by Hawaiʻi Community Lending ....

... the first evening tour of the ʻIolani Palace held in over a year ....

... The legislature appears to be dead set on ignoring the entire impact of short term solutions and catchy soundbites ....

... engineering studies to select the ten intersections for the pilot began in January and are expected to be completed in March ....

... Defueling is not a complete shutdown or decommissioning. It is simply a mechanism to fix safety deficiencies and buy time to keep the fuel tanks in Red Hill ....

... this is the same political model being used by OHA to extract rent money from astronomy on Mauna Kea .... 

... we have a deadline of this Wednesday, February 2, 2022, to file an appeal of DOH's Final Order, and we are planning to file in both federal and state court by this deadline ....

... HB1585 needs greater clarity about the role of the Legislature and stronger statements about protecting transparency and individual rights ....

... 5:30-8:30 PM, Tuesday, February 8th ....

..."I am always concerned by any piece of legislation that is not signed by Corporation Counsel...." -- Mayor Victorino

... OHA’s Board of Trustees will have 60 days to appoint a new trustee for Hawaiʻi Island, who will serve in the position until the next Hawaiʻi state general election in November 2022 ....

... States Whose Unemployment Rates Are Bouncing Back Most ....

... 2022's States with the Biggest and Smallest Wealth Gaps by Race/Ethnicity ....

... The total economic impact of $221 million, which also accounts for indirect and induced impacts, is nearly as much as farming statewide ....

... Want to pass one of these bills?  Go ahead, make my day! ....

... Please join our webinar this Sunday 6pm where we'll go over upcoming bills in the legislature and how you can help ....

... In Hawaii, an estimated 6,458 people are experiencing homelessness - or about 45.6 for every 10,000 people, the second highest homeless rate among states ....

... the Senate has tried to avoid any real debate on the issue ....

... New incentives approved to spur development of affordable rentals ....

... Efforts to rein in the watchdog continue ....

... Hawaii has the highest union membership rate at 22.4 percent ....

... the tourist headcount is down 20.9% ....

... The states in the bottom 10 tend to have a number of afflictions in common: complex, nonneutral taxes with comparatively high rates ....

... Stadium-villages generally create low wage jobs ....

... No telescopes = No rent money ....

... Hawaii ranks 13th ....

... The Kokua Fund Bill Credit Program will automatically provide a one-time credit of $90 to past-due balances for about 22,000 residential and business customers by Jan. 31 ....

... Here is the actual wording of the item in the Hawai‘i State Constitution ....

... The facility built in 1942 is "grandfathered" and exempt from any EPA rules or compliance.  Second, it is Federal property on Federal land under Federal jurisdiction....

... before you can even purchase a taser or stun gun, and legislators are already moving to make it so that you can’t carry them ....

... The 20th annual American Lung Association "State of Tobacco Control" report evaluates states ....

... 21% of the chamber’s businesses said the proposed minimum wage increase would put them out of business ....

... On top of the federal gasoline tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, Hawaii levies an additional excise tax of 51.7 cents - the fourth highest gas tax rate among states ....

... will remain in effect through March 25, 2022 ....

... The newly-filed lawsuit describes an incident in January 2020 in which N.B.–who is now twelve-years old–was handcuffed and arrested by HPD officers, and her mother was falsely detained by DOE officials, at Honowai Elementary School ....

... OIP has recently received dozens of complaints from the public alleging deficient meeting notices for various Sunshine Law boards that were filed on the State Calendar ....

... said Chairman Tester. “We’ve got work to do, and I’m going to keep working with Senator Schatz to make sure the Department of Defense is getting Hawai‘i and the Navy the tools they need to move forward.” ....

"... at this time, there is no evidence that Board of Water Supply drinking water has been impacted ...." -- Hawaii Department of Health

... HONOLULU remained a Sinkhole City because it needed more than $3.9 billion, or $31,700 from each taxpayer, to pay its bills ....

"...increase the refund amount...."

... The revised rules require proof of a booster shot to confirm patrons are “up to date” with their COVID-19 vaccinations if they want to dine indoors at a restaurant or bar, or exercise inside of a gym ....