Legislature mulls UH funding restrictions, lighter punishment for drug offenses, public school leadership, hurricane relief fund; Honolulu Salary Commission proposes raises, vacation rentals again on Hawaii County agenda, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Funding restrictions would be ‘catastrophic’ for UH. Each of the University of Hawaii’s 10 campuses would have to rely on funding they generate from their individual tuition and student fees — and any excess revenue would have to be turned over to the state general fund under a bill that UH President Wendy Hensel said would be “catastrophic” for the system and especially for smaller campuses. But the Tax Foundation of Hawaii argued that UH has “hoarded” nearly $429 million in student tuition and fees as of June. Star-Advertiser.

Early Education Bill Gutted, Replaced With School Leadership Restrictions. Language from one of the Senate education chair’s failed bills suddenly reappeared in an unrelated piece of legislation. Critics say that could be unconstitutional.  Civil Beat.

Bill could ensure insurance coverage for children's vaccines. At the end of last year, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began slashing the number of vaccines recommended for children. Because of this, the state Legislature is considering a measure that would preserve insurance coverage for preventative service recommendations before the changes were made. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi Weighs Shorter Probation, Lighter Punishment For Drugs. A committee of stakeholders from across the criminal justice system is working to bring the state more in line with national trends on drug possession and probation. Civil Beat.

Use of Hurricane Relief Fund grows significantly. State lawmakers on Monday received an update on Hawaii’s efforts to stabilize its strained property insurance market. The briefing also covered implementation of Act 296, which aims to stabilize the property insurance market and ensure coverage remains available when private insurers pull back. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Air ‘seeing the light at the end of the tunnel’ as new app launches, full integration with Alaska set for April 22. Many travelers said the merger between Hawaiian and Alaska Air has been plagued with problems – multiple confirmation numbers, login problems, and not being able to change seats or flights. KHON2.

Oahu

Salary Commission advances 4.7% pay boost for city officials, Council. During its meeting Monday, the Salary Commission, which establishes compensation schedules for municipal positions, proposed raising the mayor’s annual salary to $236,705, up from its current $226,080 a year. Other top city posts would see similar pay bumps. Star-Advertiser.

JERA wants to bypass the competitive bidding process. What is that exactly? The Japanese energy company JERA wants to build a natural gas plant on Oʻahu that could supply more than a third of the island's electricity demand. Hawaii Public Radio.

In June, flood zones will change, shifting hundreds of Oahu homes out of those higher risk zones. But 10 times the number of homeowners will then find themselves in a flood zone. KITV4. Hawaii News Now. 

Oahu’s housing market saw surge and slump in March. The number of single- family home purchases completed in March jumped 26.2%, to 260 from 206 in the same month last year, according to a Honolulu Board of Realtors report released Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Disaster Debris: Coming Soon To A Park Near You? Some park users are getting in the faces of city crews and leaving ugly voicemails, demanding the debris be taken elsewhere. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Vacation Rental Owners Could Face New Hawaiʻi County Rules. Stronger enforcement and better registration requirements are on the horizon on the Big Island. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi County launches an accessible, online coastal zone management atlas. Developed by the Planning Department and Tetra Tech Inc., the County of Hawaiʻi has launched the Coastal Zone Management Atlas to better inform the public on management plans that preserve, protect, develop, and restore the resources of the nation’s coastal zones. Big Island Now.

Health officials investigate high rates of strep infections in West Hawaii. The Hawaii Department of Health is working with the Hawaii District Health Office and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to follow up on physician findings of above-average cases of invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) — caused by a bacteria commonly found on the skin or in the nose that doesn’t normally lead to infection. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now. 

Maui

From Democrat to GOP: Lahaina Rep. Elle Cochran explains why she made the switch. As her disillusionment with the Democratic party grew, her Republican colleagues were quick to welcome her into the fold, Cochran recalled. Five candidates have already pulled papers to run against her. The filing deadline is June 2. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui Council cheers gold medal wrestlers, then wrestles with an affordable housing project refund. The Maui County Council celebrated local high school wrestling champions Thursday before grappling with a contentious request for an affordable housing project refund. Maui Now.

Kauai

Police identify 3rd fatality in Kauai helicopter crash. Kauai police have identified the third person killed in the helicopter crash off Kalalau Beach on the Na Pali Coast on March 26. Police identified the third fatality as Oksana Pihol, 40, a Ukrainian national. 65-year-old Margaret Rimmler and 59-year-old Patrick Haskell, both from Massachusetts, were also killed in the crash. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now. 

Community Wildfire Protection Plan workshops rescheduled. Community Wildfire Protection Plan workshops were rescheduled after being postponed because of inclement weather. Kauai Now.

Governor urges caution as measles hits state, Legislature mulls tax hikes on hotels, cruise ships, $170M condo insurance relief bill aims for June implementation, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Vaccines urged as Hawaii confirms measles case in child under 5.  The state Department of Health on Tuesday announced the measles case in an unvaccinated child on Oahu who recently returned from international travel with family. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. KITV4.

Hotel, cruise ship tax hike aims to reduce wildfire, climate risk. Tourists would collectively pay millions of dollars more each year to stay in Hawaii hotels and on cruise ships to help the state address climate change and reduce the risk of future wildfires under a bill approved Tuesday by the full House. Star-Advertiser.

Tax Bills Win Preliminary Approval From Hawaiʻi Lawmakers. The House and Senate are also considering allowing legalized gambling for the first time in state history. Hawaiʻi lawmakers advanced bills to increase an assortment of state taxes along with measures to legalize sports betting and levy a green fee on visitors to help pay for climate change mitigation in floor voting Tuesday. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers endorse subsidized housing for state employees. House Bill 1298 proposes to provide grants and loans to develop leasehold condominiums on state land in transit-oriented development areas predominantly for state workers with moderate incomes as a way to help recruit and retain employees. Star-Advertiser.

$170 Million Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund hopes to help associations with insurance shortfalls by June 1. Officials are now meeting weekly to try and get the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund up and running to try and get help to condo owners this summer. KHON2.

Lawmakers’ Effort Falters To Keep Cops From Taking Property Before Conviction. Police agencies insist they need to take suspects’ property to fight crime, but reformers argue the system has been abused. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s college and career readiness indicators demonstrate mixed trends. The College and Career Readiness Indicators Summary Report,  released last week by Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, presents both progress and concerns, tracking key metrics such as graduation rates, standardized testing performance, dual credit participation and college enrollment. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi deadline nears to get a Real ID-compliant card. Starting May 7, adults will need Real ID driver’s licenses or ID cards — which meet federal guidelines — to check in for flights or enter some federal buildings. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

State and Honolulu County in negotiations over major land deal. At the center of the deal is city-owned land under the Alii Place office tower, which both the city and state government have had their eye on for years, because it is close to both the state Capitol and Honolulu Hale, and could be a convenient new home for government offices and even lawmakers during major renovations. Hawaii News Now.

Investigation underway after service member found dead at Wheeler Army Airfield. It’s unclear how long the decedent had been there. Sources confirm the man’s body showed signs of decomposition. Hawaii News Now.

HPD’s AustinEwaliko suspended after allegedly releasing Jan. 1 Aliamanu information. A five-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department had his police powers suspended after he allegedly pulled information about the investigation into the deadly Jan. 1 Aliamanu fireworks explosion and gave it to suspects. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.

Pilot in 2019 Oʻahu Helicopter Crash Wasn’t Properly Certified, FAA Says. The FAA says a whistleblower was correct in saying the owner of the helicopter tour company shouldn’t have certified the pilot, but investigators didn’t substantiate allegations of broader problems. Civil Beat.

Crummy conditions plague Oahu park, garden. A group of volunteers just wants to grow their own food, but they say they are dealing with threats, damage and unsanitary conditions at Makiki District Park. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Mayor touts early success; Alameda gives State of the County Address, claims ‘best start ever’. “I got to tell you, best start ever. You heard it. Best start ever.” Straight from Mayor Kimo Alameda’s mouth, that was the overarching theme of his first State of the County Address, which he delivered Tuesday to an audience of his cabinet and prominent supporters at Nani Mau Gardens in Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

ACLU Files Amicus Brief On Police Failure To Record Interrogations. In a Hawaiʻi Supreme Court case involving the Hawaiʻi county police, the ACLU of Hawaiʻi requests the law require police to record custodial interrogations. Big Island Video News.

Hawai‘i County reaches agreement with nonprofit to address treated sewage entering Big Island waters. Hawaiʻi County is taking steps to address treated sewage discharged from the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant flowing into Honokōhau Small Boat Harbor six miles south of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. Big Island Now.

Hawaiʻi County seeks to study how Waikoloa evacuates during a disaster. Hawaiʻi County wants to move around some federal funds in order to pay for a new Waikoloa Village evacuation study. The study would estimate how long it takes residents to escape the village in the event of a disaster like a wildfire or a hurricane. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Residents oppose Lahaina rebuild over pool, water concerns. A number of Maui residents testified Tuesday against a proposal by a Lahaina property owner to substantially rebuild a two-story house to what it was before the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire. Maui News.

Maui County residents invited to sign up for new evacuation planning platform. Residents and visitors of Maui County are encouraged to download the app, which will allow users to view predetermined evacuation zones, track live statuses and receive real-time notifications. Hawaii Public Radio.

Haʻikū fire station construction expected to go out for bid in September. A notice to proceed with construction of the Haʻikū Fire Station is scheduled for April 2026, if all permits and entitlements are approved. Then, in July 2028, the fully outfitted station is expected to be ready to house firefighters, fire trucks and other equipment. Maui Now.

Kauai

Additional lane, road closures and water service shutdown planned in various areas. Here’s a look at some additional upcoming lane and road closures along with a water service shutdown planned around the Garden Isle during the next week. Kauai Now.