Murdered Baby Related to HPD Deputy Chief, DHS Investigator
OHA Trustees Never Approved $705K Hush Money Payment
VIDEO: Hirono, Pam Bondi, and Sexual Harassment
Interior Department Strengthens Native Hawaiian Consultation Policies and Procedures, Affirms Federal Trust Responsibility to Native Hawaiian Community
Hawaii House Updates Rules for 2025 Session
Illegal Vapes: AG Warns Retailers
Voter Suppression: Bills Call for More Voter Service Centers on Oahu
CB: … Another measure seeks to have more voter service centers on Oʻahu during elections. Long lines at Kapolei Hale and Honolulu Hale on Nov. 5 saw many voters waiting for hours to cast ballots, delaying the reporting of election results until after midnight.
The GOP representatives want Oʻahu to have nine voter service centers, one for each of the Honolulu City Council districts….
The bills fall into six categories: cost of living (the GOP’s top priority), housing security, quality education, public safety, Native Hawaiian advocacy and government reform.
They include a cell phone ban in public schools to reduce distraction and cyberbullying….
There is also a call to join the nine other states that do not tax income….
a stand-your-ground measure that would remove the current legal requirement to retreat prior to using lethal force.
A state law, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes 703-304, says that force is justifiable when someone believes it is necessary to protect themself. But force is not justified if it can be avoided by safely retreating.
“It’s a common sense law that exists in many other states, unfortunately not here in Hawaiʻi,” said Rep. Diamond Garcia at a press conference Thursday in the Capitol Rotunda. “And this isn’t partisan. This has been introduced time and time again by people in both parties.”
Stand-your-ground has gained support following a shooting in Waiʻanae in August that left four people dead. Hiram Silva killed three people at a party before he was shot and killed by Rishard Keamo-Carnate.
City prosecutors declined to file charges, but the incident led to calls to protect people acting in self-defense. Hawaiʻi’s farmers and ranchers have also talked about the need for a stand-your-ground law to deal with poaching and agriculture theft….
The press conference featured seven members of the nine-member House Republican caucus announcing their legislative package for 2025….
As Explained: Long Lines Suppress Republican Votes on Election Day: City Clerk Plans to do it Again in 2024
SB134: Text, Status “Requires the Office of Elections to establish three additional voting centers in a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more. Requires a report to the Legislature.” – 12 co-sponsors
HB259: Text, Status “Requires that each county council district feature at least one voter service center for elections. Prioritizes using public schools as voter service centers. Requires the clerk to advertise for volunteers. Requires each county council district to have one voter service center open on election day.”
HB297: Text, Status “Requires that each county council district feature at least one voter service center for elections. Provides further, that each county council district must have one voter service center open on election day.”
read … House GOP Wants A Stand-Your-Ground Law For Hawaiʻi - Honolulu Civil Beat
Target DelaCruz: Wahiawa Garbage Dump Part of Scheme to Pressure Legislature
SA: … City officials say their actions are due, in part, to a state- imposed Dec. 31 deadline to find an alternate site, ahead of the planned closure of the 35-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei, in accordance with a 2019 decision and order by the state Land Use Commission.
That West Oahu dump is set to close in 2028, though the landfill will not reach full capacity until 2032, the city said.
Dole has stated its opposition to having a landfill on its active farming property.
And that site, according to the Board of Water Supply, is also about 800 feet above Oahu’s prime groundwater source.
Meantime, city officials also say they want the state Legislature to change a state law, Act 73.
The 2020 law places restrictions on locating waste-disposal facilities, particularly those close to conservation lands or half-mile “buffer zones” near residential areas, schools or hospitals, as well as near airports or tsunami inundation zones.
City officials say amending Act 73 could do one of two things: reduce buffer zones to a quarter-mile or eliminate them altogether, thereby opening up more land for potential city dump sites. Such a legislative change could take time, however….
read … Opponents voice concern over possible Wahiawa landfill | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
SB175: Bump up Soft-on-Crime Judges’ retirement age (again)
SA: … In the mix of hundreds of bills that the 2025 Legislature will consider is another try at raising the mandatory retirement age of state judges, from the current age 70 to 75.
Senate Bill 175 seeks to put a proposed amendment to the state Constitution on the next election ballot; ultimately, it would be up to voters to decide whether or not to raise the age.
It’s worth noting that twice before — in 2014 and in 2006 — voters rejected a proposal to raise judges’ retirement age. But the old proposals were to raise the age to 80 — not to 75. Stay tuned….
(We need to keep judges who have the experience necessary to let criminals out again and again.)
SB175: Text, Status
read … Off the news: Judges’ retirement age: up to 75 from 70? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
New UH President Hensel expects to hire AD in summer
SN: … The University of Hawaii’s new system president hopes to have a permanent Manoa athletic director in place in the summer, Wendy Hensel said during her first meeting with the UH Board of Regents on Thursday.
Hensel pledged a “transparent” hiring process.
In the immediate term, that timetable means that Lois Manin will remain in the interim AD position for the remainder of the 2024-25 athletic calendar year. Manin, a longtime deputy administrator, assumed the department’s head job on an acting basis when outgoing UH President David Lassner terminated Craig Angelos in November as one of his last big moves.
So far, Manin’s biggest move has been granting a one-year contract rollover to football coach Timmy Chang ….
read … New UH President Hensel expects to hire AD in summer
DoE Budget Pressure Tactic: Hawaii public schools to see price hike for summer school programs
HNN: … If you’re a parent who enrolls your child in summer school programs, listen up — Hawaii’s public summer school programs will cost $70 more next school year.
The state Board of Education’s Finance Committee approved Thursday a roughly 35% increase for the 6-week program, citing rising costs.
That ups the price from $190 to $260.
Education officials were also considering a proposal that would double the price of school lunches….
(CLUE: The purpose is to pressure legislators into approving the DoE’s latest bloated budget request.)
REALITY: Washington Monument Strategy
BOE Votes Against Hiking School Meal Fees In Hawaiʻi— For Now - Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii public schools regress in farm-to-plate program | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
read … Hawaii public schools to see price hike for summer school programs
Hawaiʻi Teens Less Likely To Drink Alcohol — Or Use Sunscreen
CB: … Hawaiʻi teens were less likely to be depressed, smoke marijuana and use e-cigarettes than their peers nationally, according to the results of a biennial survey that tracks teen health trends.
But they were also less likely to use sunscreen, attend a physical education class or regularly eat fresh fruits and vegetables….
read … Data Dive: Hawaiʻi Teens Less Likely To Drink Alcohol — Or Use Sunscreen
Legislative Agenda:
QUICK HITS: