Hawaii the most unionized state in the nation, Green seeks $100M more in pandemic hazard pay, union rebukes senator over school bureaucracy bill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii union membership in 2025 led nation at 26%. Hawaii’s union membership declined last year but the state still led the nation with 26% of employed wage and salary workers represented by collective bargaining, according to data released Wednesday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Star-Advertiser.

Tab For Pandemic Hazard Pay Grows As Gov. Green Seeks Another $100 Million. Gov. Josh Green is asking lawmakers to earmark nearly $100 million this year for additional pandemic hazard pay for public employees, marking the third consecutive year the administration has asked for large sums to settle pandemic hazard claims by the public worker unions. Civil Beat.

Union rebukes senator as school leadership bill sparks capitol clash. Senate Bill 3334 would eliminate Complex Area Superintendents (CAS) and shift more authority over principal hiring to the superintendent. There are currently 15 CAS employed within the Department of Education, which has two staff members each. KHON2.

Commercial aquarium fishing ban proposal hits choppy waters at state level. Those in support of the ban say the practice is unsustainable and depletes native fish populations and natural resources. But those against the ban say the practice is the foundation for their livelihoods and how they support their family. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bill would fund sanctuary for Hawaii’s homeless women, children. Homeless women and children under age 18 would be able to live in their vehicles or in a communal tent on government-sanctioned land that would offer security, case management and bathroom and laundry services under a Senate bill under consideration at the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

‘Keiki Ride Free’ measure on buses and rail advances. House Bill 1879, dubbed the “Keiki Ride Free” measure, would provide fare-free county bus and rail serv­ice for youth up to age 18, with priority given to low-income and vulnerable children if funding falls short. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi House advances bill to increase DUI penalties for highly intoxicated drivers. The Hawai‘i House Committee on Transportation passed a measure with amendments that would make a second DUI offense with a blood alcohol content above .15% — and that is within 10 years of a driver’s first DUI conviction — as a class C felony. Big Island Now.

Bill that creates harsher penalties for those driving without a license advances. If it becomes law, HB 2589 “Makes a second conviction for operating a motor vehicle without a license within a five-year period a Class A felony if the defendant's actions result in the death of another person." KITV4.

Hawaiʻi records its second driest year in over a century. Hawaiʻi had its second driest year in more than a century in 2025. About half the state experienced some level of drought, and average temperatures were up to a degree higher than normal across the islands. Hawaii Public Radio.

Concerns raised over Hawaii Pacific Health-HMSA partnership’s impact on Native Hawaiian care. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs heard concerns Thursday that a proposed partnership between Hawaii Pacific Health and HMSA could harm health care for Native Hawaiians. OHA called in both sides of the merger debate because of fears that the partnership will harm the Native Hawaiian community. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4. 

Oahu

City moves to beef up oversight measure on agritourism. The Council voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt Resolution 17, which proposes amendments to the city’s land use ordinance relating to granting a conditional use permit, or CUP, to large-scale agritourism businesses. Star-Advertiser.

Loud vehicles could be targeted by new cameras. More drivers moving through urban areas with modified or illegal mufflers could see camera technology expand that can detect illegal noise levels, under a bill that continued to move through the Legislature on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

2 more HPD officers attacked in Waikiki. In Waikiki, the most recent assaults, stemming from Hono­lulu Police Department attempts to break up alcohol- fueled fights on Lewers Street, bring to 10 the number of officers assaulted in Waikiki Opens in a new tab since June. Star-Advertiser.

Failed $20 Bribe: 92-Year-Old Architect Sentenced In Honolulu Permitting Case. An elderly architect convicted of bribery for trying to slip a Honolulu permit reviewer some cash – what he said was $20 for oxtail soup – was sentenced on Thursday to two years of probation.  Civil Beat.

Frustrations aired on proposed permanent parking ban in Lanikai. The popularity of Lanikai beaches has caused a longstanding parking and traffic headache, not just for visitors but especially for residents. Those residents jammed the Kailua Neighborhood Board meeting Thursday night to sound off on plans to fix that. Hawaii News Now.


Hawaii Island

It’s been a wet month so far in East Hawaii, but drought persists. As of 8 a.m. Thursday, Hilo International Airport received 8.45 inches of rain for the month, closing in on its normal February average of 10 inches. Tribune-Herald.

Volunteer group helps clean up Volcano town post-Kīlauea eruption. Team Rubicon, a veteran-led volunteer group, has been helping with repair and recovery through operation “Tephra Falling.” Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui’s median single-family home prices increase to $1.4 million in January. Maui’s median single-family home price rose to $1,445,000 in January 2026, up 20.4% from the same month last year. Meanwhile, the median price for a condominium on Maui was $629,950, down 6.7% from a year ago, according to the latest data from the Realtors Association of Maui. Maui Now.

Lahaina’s Famed Banyan Tree Still ‘In The ICU’. Arborists see reasons for optimism — and worry — about the future of the tree. An upcoming assessment will help Maui County officials determine how healthy it is and when it’s safe for the public to go near it again. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Send in the Dogs: How man’s best friend is helping save Kauaʻi’s coconut palms. Tails wagged and noses took center stage on Tuesday evening at the Princeville Community Center as conservationists explained how dogs are becoming an unlikely but powerful ally in the fight against the coconut rhinoceros beetle. Kauai Now.

Mayor visits Kauai Community College students learning trades. Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami joined other special guests for a visit to Kauai Community College’s Automotive Technology department on Wednesday. Garden Island.