Compromise income tax plan targets wealthy, state ballot order puts Republicans and Democrats last, Kauai electric utility to refund $2.7M, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

2026-04-29T05:44:00.002-10:00

Budget Committee Makes A Deal To Save State Tax Cuts. Part of the result is a new tax bracket created to boost state revenue from joint filers earning over $1 million, heads of household earning over $750,000 and single filers earning over $500,000. Star-Advertiser.Civil Beat.

Senators criticize proposal to pause income tax breaks. Some state senators are criticizing the Green administration for its proposal to pause the historic income tax break for Hawaiʻi families. That criticism came during Monday's confirmation hearing for Seth Colby, director for the state Department of Budget and Fiscal Services. Hawaii Public Radio.

Gov. Blasts Auditor Report On Key Homeless Program. Gov. Josh Green blasted Hawaiʻi State Auditor Les Kondo’s preliminary report on his signature tiny homes project, accusing the Legislature’s watchdog of being overly aggressive and expressing an unwillingness to help the administration with the endeavor. Civil Beat.

Auditor warns legislators of initial kauhale concerns. State Auditor Les Kondo has sent an unusual memo to the state Legislature and the head of the state Department of Human Services warning of the need for “immediate attention” to address what Kondo called “improper use of public funds” even as his office continues to conduct an audit of Hawaii’s tiny home kauhale spending across Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Elections Officials Announce Political Party Ballot Order. With the 2026 Primary Election set for Aug. 8, the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Elections held a drawing on Tuesday to determine the order that political parties will appear on the ballot. The party order was determined to be: Nonpartisan, Libertarian Party, Green Party, Republican Party, Democratic Party. Big Island Video News.

DUI bills die again in Hawaii Legislature. For the sixth consecutive year, bills aimed at lowering the blood-alcohol content threshold for drunken driving in Hawaii from 0.08% to 0.05% have failed legislative muster. Tribune-Herald.

Bill to ban student cellphone use in Hawaii is shelved. A state Senate committee deferred a bill last month that would have banned student cellphone use at public schools statewide after the Hawaii Board of Education adopted similar — yet more flexible — rules. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii state Senate to honor life and service of Colleen Hanabusa. The state Senate will celebrate her life and decades-long career in Hawaii politics on Thursday, May 7, in the Senate Chamber of the Hawaii State Capitol. Hawaii News Now.

‘Devil Weed’ Threatening Hawaiʻi Is Hitching A Ride In Turtles. Honu love to eat the aggressive seaweed smothering reefs in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. That’s raising hopes, but also concerns closer to home. Civil Beat.

Oahu

City seeks bill to round cash transactions amid penny shortage. To address the shortage, the city is asking the Honolulu City Council to pass a bill that would require rounding cash payments for taxes, fees, and other charges to the nearest five cents. KHON2.

West Oahu hillside eyed for new city landfill. The proposed dump site, known as Makaiwa Hills, spans roughly 150 acres and is owned by James Campbell Company LLC. It sits adjacent to the city’s 37-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei, which is scheduled to close by March 2, 2028. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Forest Reserves “Are Not Landfills”, Officials Chide. Roughly 200 rubber tires were recently discovered, dumped in the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve. Big Island Video News. KHON2.

AI hazard detection system on hold amid federal funding pause. The Department of Emergency Management has been working towards an all-hazard AI detection project. But federal funding for the project has become tight. KHON2.

The Hawaii Department of Health fined a caregiver on Oahu for leaving clients unattended. The DOH Office of Health Care Assurance issued an order against Reymando Fiesta for leaving clients of the Community Care Foster Family Home unattended or without a qualified caregiver. KITV4.

Years-long closure of Waikiki bathroom ‘disappointing’ to many, some demand answers. For the past four years, the city has blamed the bathroom’s closure on vandals who flushed clothes down the toilets, as well as mechanical and electric issues with a pump, requiring more than $40,000 for repairs. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Community pushing to stop 36 large trees from being cut down at Honokaʻa County Park. The county has initiated a project to remove 36 mature Cuban mahogany trees because the roots were damaging two parking lots at the Honokaʻa Sports Complex and Skate Park. Big Island Now.

Recovery efforts underway after downtown Hilo fire. Nearly five months after a fire ravaged multiple buildings in downtown Hilo, the cause is still unknown, but the investigation into the incident has been closed by the Hawaii Fire Department. Tribune-Herald.

Renovations start at old Hilo hospital. The work is part of an effort by the Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development to establish a coordinated resource hub focused on housing stabilization, workforce readiness, behavioral health and wraparound services. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui County proposes 2-million-gallon water storage tank in Kīhei. The Maui County Department of Water Supply is proposing a 2-million-gallon drinking water storage tank in central Kīhei to improve system reliability, and officials are now accepting public comments on the project. Maui Now.

New housing opportunity opens for Lahaina educators. Hawaiʻi educators have a new housing opportunity through a development under the state Department of Education. The $20 million housing project, called Ke ʻAla Punia, includes 47 rental units for educators and staff. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative returning money to members. Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative will be returning money to its members, some from 2025 and other money related to balances from 2002 and part of 2003. The Coop’s Board of Directors voted to return $2.7 million in total, according to a news release last week. Kauai Now.

Hawaiʻi Helicopter Safety: Kauaʻi’s Waimea Canyon To Get Cameras. Weather was the main cause of aviation accidents in Hawaiʻi over the past 20 years. The FAA hopes a network of remote cameras can make the skies safer. Civil Beat.

All Hawaii News

Compromise income tax plan targets wealthy, state ballot order puts Republicans and Democrats last, Kauai electric utility to refund $2.7M, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands