A Historic Victory for the Second Amendment in Hawaii

Celebrate two anniversaries this year

Hawai'i's America250 Celebration

Lawsuit Argues Hawaii's Harsh New Hemp Regulations Will Stifle Competition

UH Bans Building Occupation Protests

Can Hawaii welcome sea gliders without subsidizing them?

Maui Council should heed recommendation to axe certain county boards

100lbs of Meth: West Oahu Man Gets 15 years

Gov. Green announces intent-to-veto list

HNN: … Green has until July 15 to issue his final vetoes. All remaining bills will become law on that date.

The bills being considered for veto, line-item veto, or reductions include one bill relating to housing, one related to emergency funding, and two education bills.

Senate Bill SB2338, which deals with compensation of state housing leaders, is under additional review to see if current provisions can be used to accomplish the same goals.

Senate Bill SB2600 would deposit funding into Hawaii’s rainy day fund, which is set aside for emergencies.

In the governor’s written veto rationale, he said, “It would be financially imprudent to transfer $50 million in general fund money to the emergency budget reserve fund (Rainy Day fund). The current balance of the Rainy Day fund of more than $1.5 billion is the largest it has ever been.”

Senate Bill SB3262 establishes a method for selecting an executive director of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.

The governor is further reviewing the bill to prevent ambiguity or confusion about the specific duties of the HTSB and the state Board of Education.

Lastly, House Bill HB2344 would establish a commission to make recommendations regarding school consolidations, realignments, and closures.

In the governor’s rationale for veto consideration says further review is needed to determine if the Department of Education and/or the Board of Education can achieve the goals laid out for the proposed commission….

PDF: Measure Status Details for GM 1264

Kouchi: Statement_From_Senate_President_Kouchi_Regarding_Special_Session.pdf

CB: Green Signals He May Veto Bill To Add $50M To Rainy Day Fund

ASD: Green signs $20 billion budget bill, plans to veto 4 others

KITV: Gov. Green signs 2 budget bills, reviews 4 bills on Intent-to-Veto list from 2026 session | Politics | kitv.com

Read … Gov. Green announces intent-to-veto list | Hawaii News Now

Attorney blasts Hawaii for using Black Code to defend gun restriction

FOX: … Hawaii cited several historical laws, including an 1865 Louisiana statute enacted as part of the post-Civil War Black Codes. The law made it unlawful to carry firearms onto another person's property without the owner's consent.

Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, rejected that argument outright, calling the Louisiana statute a "tainted artifact" that was enacted to disarm newly freed Black Americans and leave them defenseless after the Civil War. He concluded the law "cannot be taken seriously" as evidence of the Second Amendment's original public meaning.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, however, argued, in her dissent, the Court skipped an important constitutional question.

Jackson did not defend the Black Codes, which she acknowledged were racist and used to oppress newly freed Black Americans. But she argued the Court should have first decided whether the Louisiana law itself violated the Second Amendment, or whether the real constitutional problem was that it was enforced in a racially discriminatory way….

NRA: Hawaii Attempted to Use Old Hunting Statutes to Ban Concealed Carry | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Read … Attorney blasts Hawaii for using Black Code to defend gun restriction | Fox News

TMT Considering old Submillimeter Site

HNN: … TMT is looking at another site on Maunakea. TMT’s project manager told the UH Board of Regents last month the project is looking at the site where the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory was decommissioned and removed in 2024.

“We have taken a preliminary look of whether we can possibly build TMT on the decommissioned site scientifically, engineering-wise technically and we believe this is very preliminary, of course, and we believe we can,” said Dr. Fengchuan Liu, TMT International Observatory project manager.

Liu also addressed the project’s history with the community.

“We apologize for our past approach. We’ve made mistakes. We focused too much on the legal rights to build TMT on Maunakea,” Liu said.

He said community engagement benefit programs focused too narrowly on benefiting STEM education and college scholarships. He said now efforts are broadening to people in Hawai’i from underrepresented communities, rural areas, and cultural environmental programs….

Read … TMT opponents deliver petition to major funder in California | Hawaii News Now

Settlement talks set for state, family of Peter Boy Kema in wrongful death case

HNN: … In 1997, child protective services received two separate warnings, official complaints that the 6-year-old had serious injuries and was in danger. Nothing was done. He disappeared.

Nearly 20 years later, in 2016, the parents were charged and, a year later, admitted the boy was dead as a result of the abuse.

The siblings filed the civil, wrongful death lawsuit in 2018.

Chauntelle Acol, Peter Boy’s oldest sister, is now 37 years old. She said the legal delays force them to relive the trauma of that time period….

Randall Rosenberg, the family’s attorney, said the state has acknowledged its failures but the two sides disagree on compensation….

Peter Boy’s two sisters now live in Florida. His brother, Allan Acol, 39, lives in Kona in their grandparents’ home, where the children thrived before being returned to their parents….

Read … Settlement talks set for state, family of Peter Boy Kema in wrongful death case | HNN Investigates | Hawaii News Now

GoFundMe warns new Hawaiʻi law will impact nonprofits

ASD: … Hawaiʻi's Act 205, which goes into effect July 1, requires written consent from nonprofits using GoFundMe, among other online charitable fundraising platforms, to keep its accounts active online and able to receive donations. GoFundMe VP Amanda Brown Lierman shares what local organizations need to know about the company’s process….

GFM: Understanding Hawaii's new fundraising consent law: How to keep your nonprofit active on GoFundMe – Help Center

Read … GoFundMe warns new Hawaiʻi law will impact nonprofits

Hawai‘i’s crappy priorities

ASD: … “There are approximately 6,700 cesspools that are located within 200 feet of a perennial stream channel throughout the state. There are approximately 31,000 cesspools that are located within the perennial watersheds on the islands of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, Maui, and Molokai….

HPR: New loan program set to help homeowners finance cesspool conversions | Hawai'i Public Radio

Read … Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i’s crappy priorities

Hawaii Has The Slowest Speed Limits In The US

SG: … It's largely due to the state's layout. Hawaii is made up of islands, with the roads often carving through mountains or going along the coast. The speed limits are reduced to ensure safety while drivers take to these winding — and sometimes steep — roads. On top of the curves and cliffs, Hawaii's streets are often narrow and busy, adding yet more reasons to slow down. Hawaii has seen an increase in traffic-related fatalities, with 129 reported deaths in 2025 — the highest since 2007. The state believes it's due to driver behavior, including phone usage and speeding. Hawaii is sometimes considered one of the worst states to drive in despite its beauty….

Read  … Which State Has The Slowest Speed Limit In The US? (It's A Complicated Answer)

ELECTION NEWS:

1. Q&A (Part 1) with Jake Takaya Morrow--Candidate for House District 21 | Hawaii Reporter

2. Socialism Remains an Elite Phenomenon

QUICK HITS:

1. Big Q: Would you fly interisland in an electric-powered aircraft (as is being tested)? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

2. New funding opens for Hawaiʻi farmers, ranchers, forest managers | Hawai'i Public Radio  

3. Amid America's 250th Anniversary, one campaign focuses on the future | Hawai'i Public Radio

4. Making Your Mortgage: Local Governments Confiscated Nearly $1 Billion in Fees and Fines for Short-Term Rentals

5. Hilo Pride parade and festival on Saturday - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

6. Kalaupapa National Historical Park to offer guided public tours on Molokai | Hawaii News Now

7. WWE Looking For Recruits At Fitness Event In Hawaii | 411MANIA | Wrestling News, WWE & AEW Results

8. Police shut down illegal game room in Kakaako | Crime & Courts | kitv.com

9. HPD shuts down 2 brothels in Central Oahu | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

10. Hawaiʻi County opens application process for Kona Low business recovery grant program : Big Island Now

11. After Decades on the Sidelines, Windward Oʻahu Enters the Renewable Energy Map | Ililani Media

12. Aloha Stadium steel begins journey to recycling | Hawaii News Now

13. Ala Wai residents seek upgrades for local parks

14. City launches webpage tracking restoration of CORP debris site | Honolulu Star-Advertiser