April 16, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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April 16, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 2:31 PM :: 157 Views

Rich States Poor States--Hawaii 43rd: Tax policy largely determines states’ economic competitiveness

Survey: 37% Consider Moving out of State

Green Appoints Amemiya, Laderta to UH Board of Regents

DoTAX Announces Charges in Tax Case

SB3125: $600M Hawaii income tax hike hangs in balance as legislative session nears end

SA: … House Bill 2306, which the House Finance Committee amended to preserve two out of the remaining five years of tax cuts, recently stalled after not meeting a procedural deadline last week to be taken up in the Senate.

That leaves Senate Bill 3125 as the vehicle to decide whether the next five years of tax breaks should be scaled back, and if so, then to what degree and for whom….

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on March 5 amended SB 3125 to keep tax relief for all taxpayers with standard deduction increases slated for 2028 and 2030, and preserve relief for everyone but high-income filers through tax bracket reductions in 2027, 2029 and 2031. To generate extra revenue, the Senate’s draft of the bill also called for repealing seven commercial tax credits in industries that include renewable energy, high technology and ship repair.

But on April 7, House Finance replaced the contents of SB 3125 with a new draft to mainly reflect its draft of HB 2306 — keeping standard deduction increases in 2028 and 2030 but repealing tax bracket reductions in 2027, 2029 and 2031 for everyone, and generating extra revenue by adding 1 percentage point to the tax rate on an upper tier of income for taxpayers in the state’s three highest tax brackets effective in 2027….

At the same hearing, members of Green’s administration opposed not fully repealing the tax cuts ahead.

Seth Colby, state Department of Budget and Finance director, said during the hearing that Green’s proposal was designed to provide roughly $600 million by fiscal year 2029-30 needed to balance a required six-year financial plan….

Ted Kefalas, director of strategic campaigns for the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, told House Finance members that he views the Senate plan as a more meaningful compromise to what Green proposed.

“I think a lot of people have framed this as either we eliminate the income tax cuts or get rid of essential services, but there are ways to avoid doing both,” Kefalas said. “The money is there if you-all look hard enough. Families across Hawaii have had to tighten their belts during inflation, and so we think that the government needs to do the same in this situation.”

The next step for SB 3125 is for the 51-member House to vote on the bill, which would then set it up for House-Senate conference committee negotiations that Todd expects will result in a final draft before the end of this year’s legislative session scheduled for May 8….

Read … Hawaii income tax cuts hang in balance as legislative session nears end | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Investigation? Hawaii AG is really tight with Luke’s Lawyer

SA: … The Hawaii Attorney General decided there was no conflict with a former state Attorney General representing Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke amid her election year controversies while he is also under contract with the state at $525 an hour to work on a long-standing civil case.

Former state Attorney General David Louie contacted Attorney General Anne Lopez Feb. 5 to request a waiver after being retained by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, but Lopez determined the waiver wasn’t necessary.

Lopez served in the position of Special Assistant to the Attorney General from Jan. 2, 2013, to May 15, 2015. She was Special Assistant to Attorney General David Louie from January 2, 2013 to Dec. 1, 2014….

Gov. Josh Green expressed frustration Tuesday with the pace of Lopez’s investigation, telling Hawaii News Now that he is “frustrated by the lack of clarity that we have on this investigation.” He also said he will not cede any authority to Luke until the investigation is closed.

“I think it’s simply not fair to have this drag out any longer. So on Monday, the 20th, that marks three months since the investigation began and I hope and expect there will be clarity by then,” said Green….

Read … Former Hawaii AG works for the state and represents Luke | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

$35K Bribe: House and Senate Violate Their Own Rules by Ignoring Petition

CB: … over 900 Hawaiʻi residents signed a petition calling on their Legislature to investigate a sitting lawmaker … they expected their government to listen….Instead, they were met with silence….

To date, the speaker of the House has not formally acknowledged the petition. The Senate “filed” the petition in the closing minutes of the opening day of the Legislature but without debate, comment or any meaningful opportunity for the public to be heard.

To my knowledge, it has always been the past practice of the Legislature to act on petitions in the first weeks of a session. Never has a petition not been “filed” or action delayed for this long a period of time…

House Rule 46.2 states: “The Speaker shall order all petitions and communications filed or referred to a committee without any motion or vote, unless there is objection from the members.” In legal interpretation, “shall” creates a mandatory, non-discretionary duty. There is no version of Rule 46.2 under which the speaker has the option of simply doing nothing.

Senate Rule 67 contains similarly mandatory language. And while the Senate filed the petition, by simply filing the petition into the record without a referral to a committee, without a public hearing, and without any discussion on the matter, raises its own constitutional questions. Filing a petition into a void is not honoring the constitutional right to petition. It only honors its form while destroying its substance….

The legislative session closes on May 8. When that happens, the window for meaningful action closes with it. The constitutional injury will be complete and for all intents and purposes irreversible for this year, unless the speaker decides to convene an investigative committee during recess, which is highly unlikely.

If the speaker continues to do nothing or deliberately chooses to file the petition at the end of session claiming compliance with the law, and if the Senate continues to treat the petition as a document to be filed and forgotten, legal action may well be the only remedy remaining….

Read … How The Legislature Is Violating A 187-Year-Old Constitutional Right - Honolulu Civil Beat

‘Good Government’ Bills head for Conference Committee

SA: … Senate Bill 2530 was once the stronger bill, prohibiting any officers of a contractor doing business with the state or county from making campaign donations to elected officials in those governments.

However, (because this is all a joke,) once it passed over to the state House, David Tarnas, chair of the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee, saw it amended to strip counties from coverage, and to apply only to the branch awarding or administering a contract. Almost all of the time, this is the executive branch — and so the amended bill would typically ban only donations to the governor and lieutenant governor. This cynical move misses the point: campaign donations tend to follow the money, and the Legislature largely controls the state’s purse strings….

Read … Editorial: Hold government to high standard | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

‘Blew this one’: Gov. Green calls out senator as DLE director leaves over pension

HNN: … Department of Law Enforcement Director Mike Lambert decided to leave his post after House Bill 2358, which would adjust the retirement system, did not move forward.

“I’m just bummed about the scenario altogether,” Lambert said.

The measure, which would have allowed Lambert to keep his pension earned as a Honolulu police officer, did not get a hearing in the Senate Labor and Technology Committee.

Green ridiculed state Sen. Brandon Elefante, who chairs the group, for not scheduling a hearing.

“It really stinks when a single legislator just refuses to do the job and people should hear that. They should hear from me that he blew this one and he owes it to the people to do better on public safety in the future,” Gov. Josh Green said….

April 9 2026: Hawaiʻi Law Enforcement Director Wants To Return To HPD after being screwed by Sen Elefante

KITV: Top law enforcement official stepping down, leaving uncertainty at state agency | News | kitv.com

Read … ‘Blew this one’: Gov. Green calls out senator as DLE director leaves over pension | Hawaii News Now

Child Rapist gets Plea deal—will be out soon

SA: … A 21-year-old man indicted on a charge of attempted murder in the 2024 shooting of a 16-year-old boy on a city bus in Kalihi, and the 2023 sexual assault and kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl, was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years after pleading guilty to lesser charges.

Circuit Judge Catherine Remigio noted that Johnathan Ten, who given the original charges had been looking at life without parole and would “spend the rest of his natural life in prison,” had his sentence brought down to 10 years. “This is, in my opinion, a generous deal by the state,” she said.

“To follow up sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl with attempted murder of a kid on the bus, I think there’s a lot more rehabilitation that needs to occur before Mr. Ten could be safe to the public,” the judge said…

Read … Man sentenced to 10 years following plea agreement | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Secret Honolulu Police Chief Candidates Getting Narrowed Down

CB: … Nearly a year after the last Honolulu police chief quit, the island’s police commissioners will finally get a look at the 41 applicants who have applied to be the department’s next leader.

Gary Peterson, head of Public Sector Search & Consulting, which the commission hired to help with the search, will present the candidates to commissioners in a closed-door session on Monday.

The public won’t learn who the candidates are until commissioners whittle the group down to a small group of finalists.

Peterson has already sorted the candidates into three categories — those he recommends, those who are qualified but he doesn’t recommend, and those who are unqualified. …

Around 13 of the candidates made it into the recommended group, Police Commission Chair Laurie Foster said during Wednesday’s meeting. …

Commissioners will select a group of four to six finalists on May 6, at which point their names will be made public. The finalists will then participate in a public forum on Hawaiʻi News Now on May 14, and community members will have the chance to submit questions.

Commissioners will interview finalists on May 19 and make their selection at their regular commission meeting on May 20. …

Read … Honolulu Police Chief Candidates Getting Narrowed Down - Honolulu Civil Beat

FEMA Mandate: Honolulu Bill 34 critical for future disaster funding

KITV: … Bill 34 is not in direct response to the North Shore flooding since March, but Council Member Esther Kiaaina said the heavy flooding in Waialua and along the North Shore certainly highlights the need for Honolulu to stay updated with federal standards ranging from permitting to construction standards in flood hazard areas….

"In our case, now the onus is on the city, now that we have comments back from FEMA to update our ordinance so that we can continue to get federal disaster assistance," Kiaaina. "If we fail to get this enacted in law, it will impact federal grants and loans for those who are in flood hazard areas."

Kiaaina continued by saying she believes the city council will be able to “ok” Bill 34 by June 3, 2026 and get it onto Mayor Rick Blangiardi's desk before a June 10th deadline….

Read … Honolulu City Council works to pass bill critical for future disaster funding amid flood concerns | Politics | kitv.com

Judge rejects Trump administration bid to block Hawaii climate lawsuit

SA: … A federal judge today dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit seeking to stop Hawaii from suing fossil fuel companies in state court over climate change, citing a “longstanding” policy against federal intervention in state court processes.

The dismissal by U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor in Honolulu marks the second time in 2026 that federal courts have blocked the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to head off climate change suits in state courts. A different federal judge in January threw out a similar suit that sought to block the state of Michigan from suing major oil companies….

SA: Trump administration bid to block Hawaii climate lawsuit is rejected | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

SN: Court thwarts fed attempt to block state's fossil fuel suit

BL: Hawaii Can Sue Fossil Fuel Companies in State Court, Judge Finds

EE: Judge rejects Trump DOJ’s bid to block Hawaii climate lawsuit - E&E News by POLITICO

NYT: Court Rejects Trump Administration Climate Lawsuit Against Hawaii - The New York Times

Read … Judge rejects Trump administration bid to block Hawaii climate lawsuit | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Big Blue Midterm Wave is ‘A Mirage’

CB: … Democratic supporters in action say Trump is on the ropes, the 2026 midterms look great, millions of people turned out for the No Kings rallies. Time for a change. “Let’s do it!” as they sprint from the locker room onto the field.

Ruy Teixiera, a friendly critic of the Democratic Party, calls this a mirage.

The party is stuck in the past with old ideas that have lost their appeal or never really had any.

It’s a party with faith in institutions when the country’s mood is hostile to institutions. It’s no longer the party of the working class but has not staked out a convincing vision and strategy about what it has become instead.

Gender roles are a cultural issue, not just a political one. Democrats aren’t winning the culture. That victory is broader with more lasting consequences than beating Trump, who’ll be gone soon, quite possibly replaced by a Republican Party that is more threatening and smarter.

I don’t see any reason to believe that Democrats have the vision or knowledge to counter those forces …

2025: Opinion | The Democrats’ Problems Are Bigger Than You Think - The New York Times

2025: “No Kings” Is Not Enough - by Ruy Teixeira

Read … Neal Milner: Social Media, Tradwives And The Manosphere - Honolulu Civil Beat

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