FILE - A Honolulu rail train at Waipahu Station.(Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation) The Honolulu rail project has received $125 million in long-awaited federal funding. The money was released from the Federal Transit Administration after completing its amended Full Funding Grant Agreement. The HART board approved the amended financial plan two years ago, but the agreement was finally completed in February. “These funds are necessary for us to complete the project and will help us achieve our construction milestones as we work through the critical path of the project," said HART Execu ..read more

File - The Senate chamber at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on Jan. 17, 2024.(Krista Rados / HPR) Lawmakers reached a compromise this week on two key bills that would fund Maui's recovery from the August fires. Senate Bill 582 would provide another $297 million for displaced Maui residents living in hotels. The measure also provides the state's $65 million contribution to the One ʻOhana victim settlement fund. The fund would pay out families of those who were killed or seriously injured in the wildfires. Recipients of the fund would not be able to file lawsuits against any contributing entity inclu ..read more

Little fire ants feeding on peanut butter. Each orange insect is about 1.5mm in length — about half the size of a sesame seed.(Zach Pezzillo / Big Island Invasive Species Committee) A measure to allocate nearly $20 million during the next fiscal year to the state Department of Agriculture for biosecurity measures is being described by some as a "landmark" bill. The state House and Senate agreed Thursday on the final language of a funding measure, House Bill 2619, that allocates more than $16.6 million for over a dozen programs related to pests and invasive species, a biosecurity facility and o ..read more

Firefighters hose down burned area on Veterans Highway on Nov. 13, 2023.(Maui Fire Department) Lawmakers in conference committee, one of the final legislative hurdles, have passed Senate Bill 2085 to establish a dedicated fire marshal who will direct statewide efforts to prevent and respond to fires. Hawaiʻi is the only state without one. The position was abolished in 1979, and replaced with a volunteer fire council — including the fire chiefs from the four counties. After a fire swept through Lahaina last August and killed a confirmed 101 people, there were calls to reestablish the position ..read more

(pixnio) The state will have to pay $449 million to compensate government employees for coming to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association accepted the state’s settlement offer for pandemic hazard pay. The cost is about $150 million over previous estimates by the Department of Budget and Finance. There are two tiers of compensation for government employees who worked in person between March 2020 and March 2022. Those who worked in person for over 420 days could receive $20,000. Those who worked less than that could receive $10,000. The settlement covers a ..read more

Gov. Josh Green speaks at the short term rental bill press conference on April 23, 2024. On Thursday, Green expressed that he ( Office of Gov. Josh Green) Gov. Josh Green is urging state lawmakers to take action on wildfire recovery measures in the final days of the legislative session. Two key measures have stalled at the Capitol. One would have allowed Hawaiian Electric to issue ratepayer-backed bonds — a process called securitization — to fund wildfire mitigation efforts. State lawmakers expressed concerns about the increased cost to ratepayers and the company's lack of a completed fire mi ..read more

FILE - Contractors conduct monitoring operations at tank seven during tank tightness testing at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on June 28, 2023.(U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Sarah Stegall / Department of Defense) It's been almost 2.5 years since fuel-contaminated water turned the lives of thousands of families on the Navy water system upside down. More than 90,000 people relocated to hotels after fuel from underground tanks at Red Hill got into their tap water in fall 2021. A federal court trial starts Monday for military families seeking damages against the federal government for exposure ..read more

FILE - Sen. Jarret Keohokalole recommends deferring Senate Bill 2922 on April 25, 2024.(Hawaiʻi State Senate / Youtube) A controversial measure to keep Hawaiian Electric in good financial standing after the Maui wildfires has died in the state Senate. The bill would have allowed HECO to issue ratepayer-backed bonds — a process called securitization — to fund wildfire mitigation efforts. If it had passed, it could have resulted in a rate increase for HECO customers. State Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole originally introduced the Senate version of the bill on behalf of HECO. He was also the one to ann ..read more

Rep. Luke Evslin and Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole pose with Lahaiana Strong members after the short-term rental bill passed out of conference committee. (Ashley Mizuo / HPR) There was cheering and tears of joy in the state Capitol conference room after a measure that would give counties more regulatory power over short-term rentals passed out of a key committee. It’s one of the last major hurdles of the legislative process. Lahaina Strong, an advocacy group of Maui fire survivors, filled the room to hear the committee’s vote. Paele Kiakona, one of the group's co-organizers, said getting a better ..read more

The 20th and final train for Skyline arrived at Honolulu Harbor on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The train's four cars will be transported to the Rail Operations Center.(Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation) All 20 trains for the Honolulu rail, officially called Skyline, are now on Oʻahu. The final train arrived at Honolulu Harbor on Wednesday. By Thursday night, two of the train's four cars will be at the Rail Operations Center. The last two will be hauled there on Friday. Of the 19 trainsets already delivered, 12 are fully tested and have been turned over to the Honolulu Department of Tr ..read more