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Massive Income Tax Hike on the move in Hawaii Legislature
SA: … the state Legislature continues to move bills that would eliminate future tax cuts….
Many bills that passed critical deadlines this week to stay alive have been referred to the House and Senate money committees that wield considerable power over whether they continue to move through the rest of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end May 8. Here is a look at the status of key measures so far in the 2026 legislative session…
Two pending bills have yet to receive a public hearing that were proposed by Gov. Josh Green to cancel the next five scheduled annual income tax cuts for Hawaii taxpayers.
HB 2306 and SB 3125 were referred, respectively, to the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means committees.
A pair of similarly situated bills proposed by the governor, HB 2280 and SB 3099, propose to withdraw money from the state’s roughly $1.8 billion Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund, or “rainy day” fund. No amount is specified, suggesting that the bills exist to provide flexibility if needed to balance the state budget or to address funding emergencies that arise later in the session….
HB 2280: Text, Status
SB 3099: Text, Status
read … Tax break halt still alive, gambling bills dying in Hawaii Legislature | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Rep. Ed Case asks Hegseth about reports military may sever ties with HPU
SA: … U.S. Rep. Ed Case is asking the Pentagon about recent reports that it is seeking to end tuition assistance to service members attending Hawaii Pacific University along with dozens of other schools across the country.
The Hawaii Democrat is requesting that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s office provide a response by Monday confirming or denying the reports, and, if true, provide an explanation for the move and put him in touch with a military official that he and HPU leadership can speak to about it….
“Any claim that HPU’s programs ‘diminish critical thinking’ or have ‘significant adversary involvement’ … is specious at best,” Case wrote….
(But…) Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, attended HPU while serving in the Hawaii Army National Guard and in 2009 graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in international business. Gabbard was honored as the university’s 2018 Paul T. C. Loo Distinguished Alumni….
BACKGROUND: Pentagon Reevaluates HPU Tuition in Crackdown on Academic Wokeism
read … Rep. Ed Case asks Hegseth about reports military may sever ties with HPU | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Mauna Kea leases could get 10-year extension under proposed bill
ASD: … The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority will fully take over management of the mountain from the University of Hawai‘i in 2028. Meanwhile, the master lease for those summit lands — which was awarded to UH in 1968 and covers more than 11,000 acres — is set to expire in 2033, along with those for individual observatories.
As time ticks away for the lengthy process of renewing the summit leases, other options may become available for MKSOA. One bill still alive in the state Legislature — House Bill 2593 — would authorize MKSOA to extend observatory leases or the master lease itself by 10 years before the transfer in 2028.
“It gives us one more tool if we need it,” said John De Fries, MKSOA executive director, to Aloha State Daily. “Ideally, we complete our management plan on schedule and we don’t need to use it.”…
RELATED: Two Telescopes Stop Paying Rent on Mauna Kea and another cancels $500M upgrade-DeFries Doesn’t Notice
read … Mauna Kea leases could get 10-year extension under proposed bill
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