Legislature mulls minimum wage, clean elections, gambling junket tax, other bills; state ponders Mauna Kea chemical spill, Maui school must build pedestrian overpass, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bill for local minimum wages introduced in state Legislature. A bill that would allow counties in Hawaiʻi to set local minimum wages by ordinance, as long as those wages are higher than the state minimum wage, has been introduced at the state Legislature. Maui Now. KITV4.

‘Clean elections’ bill gains support. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday passed unanimously a bill to establish a comprehensive public financing system for political candidates running for state and county offices who agree to abide by campaign fundraising and expenditure guidelines. Tribune-Herald.

Love to gamble? Lawmakers want to tax those junkets to the 9th Island. That quick junket to the Ninth Island — or any other gambling location — could cost you a lot more under a proposal moving in the state Legislature. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

New bill proposes an outright ban to riding in truck beds. Should the law prohibit people from riding in the back of pickup trucks? A new bill moving through the Legislature raises safety concerns around the issue, as traffic fatalities continue to rise. KHON2.

Blinding headlights to be regulated by new bill. To improve road safety, a bill to require proper headlight beam height is being proposed.  KHON2.

Hawaii Legislature Proposes More Aid For Kupuna Housing. Lawmakers want to create a new rental subsidy program targeted at those 62 years and older. Civil Beat.

Various criminal acts would be subject to fines instead of arrests. A bill aimed at curbing overcrowding in Hawaii’s jails has cleared its first legislative hurdle. Tribune-Herald.

Bill looks to install photovoltaic panels over school playgrounds. Not only would the move shield children from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, installing the solar arrays would also help offset electricity costs for the department, according to House Bill 896. West Hawaii Today.

Why Blind Students Struggle To Get Braille Textbooks On Time. Legislators are considering a bill that would force public schools to provide timely instructional material. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Is Short Medical Workers. Are Interstate Compacts The Solution?. A string of bills allowing the state to join different industry compacts will be heard in the Senate on Friday, with lawmakers hoping that their passage will expand medical access. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Council committee advances DPP director nominee. The Honolulu City Council’s Committee on Planning and the Economy voted unanimously Thursday to advance Dawn Takeuchi Apuna toward leading the city’s troubled Department of Planning and Permitting. Star-Advertiser.

Waiahole Valley residents on Oahu fear mass eviction. A rural Windward Oahu community where physical standoffs occurred five decades ago between a private landlord and tenants is once again the scene of intense discord over rent, though this time the landlord is the state. Star-Advertiser.

Application process opens for ‘affordable’ units in Kuilei Place. Situated on a 3.15-acre site currently occupied by low-rise rentals near the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Mahiai Street, the project will receive upward of $12.3 million in exemptions and waivers for city permitting, plan reviews, fire, storm drain and public works fees. Star-Advertiser.

Legislators take another run at lifting residential ban on Kakaʻako Makai. Lawmakers are considering a bill to allow the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to build housing units in Kakaʻako, makai of Ala Moana Boulevard. However, a 17-year-old ban on residential development in the area is still in place. Hawaii Public Radio.

Autopsy: South African rugby player killed by Honolulu police had CTE. A Black former professional rugby player from South Africa shot by police months after moving to Hawaii suffered from a degenerative brain disease often found in American football players and other athletes subjected to repeated head trauma, autopsy results show. Associated Press.

Sea Life Park Facelift Moves Ahead. The Honolulu City Council is moving toward approval of a major facelift and refurbishment of a popular marine life entertainment center on a spectacular land parcel on eastern Oahu. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

State mulls next steps following incident at Maunakea telescope. The scope and impact of a chemical leak last month at a Maunakea observatory remain unclear, according to University of Hawaii officials. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii preschool at center of contentious dispute with state closes its doors. An unlicensed preschool in Hilo ordered to close last fall, partly over lead concerns, is now shut down for good. Staff at Kalamapii Playschool are moving out after the facility’s lease was terminated. Hawaii News Now.

Final EA On Miloliʻi Beach Park Project Published. The Miloliʻi Beach Park Accessibility Improvement Project will bring the pavilion and other park amenities into ADA compliance. Big Island Video News.

Two Big Island resorts among top 15 in country by U.S. News & World Report. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island was ranked No. 6 on the latest “Best Hotels in the USA” list by U.S. News & World Report.  Big Island Now.

Maui

New Maui High School: Opening Date Uncertain After DOE Agrees To Build Overpass. The construction project will likely take years to complete, further delaying the school's opening. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

‘Welcome to Paia, Do Not Feed the Hippies’ sign doesn’t reflect the town, residents say. While some got a laugh out of a new Pāʻia road sign that mocks hippies, longtime area residents said it’s derogatory and divisive during a time when the historic town needs help. Maui Now.

Kauai

Affordable housing nonprofit buys Hoku Foods building in Kapa‘a.  The affordable housing nonprofit Permanently Affordable Living has bought the Hoku Building in Kapa‘a, which features 14 apartments and Hoku Foods Natural Market. Garden Island.

1 Hotel Hanalei Bay set to open Wednesday.  After nearly three years of renovations, the former St. Regis Princeville Resort is reopening under a new luxury hotel brand focused on sustainability and local ties. Garden Island.