Lawsuit over Pohakuloa, election day voter registration passes, Legislature passes $12.1B budget, HECO told to lower electric rates, 8% raises for Honolulu officials, Turtle Bay money delayed, no more sex with prostitutes, Supreme Court ponders records retention, public hospitals face cuts, Kauai town goes styrofoam-free, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pohakuloa Training Area © 2014 All Hawaii News

Two Hawaii Island residents are suing the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and its director, William Aila, for allegedly failing to protect trust lands at Pohakuloa Training Area. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that will allow voters to register at polling places on the same day they vote. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers have passed a bill that will end an unusual exemption in state law that allowed police to have sex with prostitutes. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Legislature on Tuesday approved a $12.1 billion state budget that reduces spending to reflect lower revenue and wrapped up work on hundreds of bills as the session drew near its close. Associated Press.

Both houses of the Legislature overwhelmingly approved the State Budget today which was less than what the Governor asked for but more for some state departments, including public schools and the University of Hawai’i system. Hawaii Public Radio.

Public hospitals to cut services to make up $48M shortfall. The financially struggling 12-member system, which acts as the safety net for communities where medical care is lacking, had hoped for legislation to partner with or be purchased by a local nonprofit provider such as Hawaii Pacific Health, The Queen's Health Systems or Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are making kindergarten mandatory for children starting in the fall. Star-Advertiser.

The House approved a bill Tuesday (SB 2768) that compels children who turn 5 years old before July 31 of a school year to attend kindergarten. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s counties will receive a total of $10 million more in annual hotel tax revenue under a plan state lawmakers have approved. Associated Press.

The state Senate voted Tuesday to confirm state Rep. Jessica Wooley as director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control, finding the attorney and environmental advocate qualified and capable for the post. Star-Advertiser.

A flurry of final votes as lawmakers also weighed in on an important political nomination. KITV 4's Paul Drewes spent all day in the Senate and has the latest from the state capitol.

The state Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday ordered Hawaiian Electric Co. to reduce energy costs and accommodate more solar power and other renewable energy on the grid. Hawaiian Electric must submit its plans for carrying out the orders within four months, said Michael Champley, one of three commissioners who announced the orders with Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Associated Press.

The Public Utilities Commission sent a strong message to Hawaiian Electric Companies Tuesday, saying the company is not moving fast enough to lower utility rates and connect more photovoltaic systems into the grid. Backed by the governor, the commission laid out an action plan on what the goals should be for the utility company. KHON2.

A handful of reporters gathered in Gov. Neil Abercrombie's Ceremonial Room on Tuesday morning awaiting an announcement about four major energy policy decisions and taking bets on what they would be. Abercrombie soon took the podium, flanked by the three leaders of the Public Utilities Commission, and announced that Hawaii has "turned the corner" in its shift to renewable energy. Civil Beat.

State Rep. Jessica Wooley will head the Office of Environmental Quality Control and Brian Tamamoto will serve on the Hawaii Community Development Authority despite last-minute objections from some lawmakers. Civil Beat.

The Center for Food Safety is a well-funded nonprofit that spends millions of dollars on litigation, community outreach and politics to support organic and sustainable agricultural practices. It opposes GMOs, pesticides and other technologies that it worries might be harmful to humans or the environment. Civil Beat.

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann publicly announced at the end of last week that he will indeed run for governor again this year. But unlike his last two runs for public office, when he suffered crushing defeats in Democratic Party primaries, this time Hannemann says he’s running as an “Independent.” Civil Beat.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: April 30. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings, meetings and events for Wednesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Uncertain about whether they have the votes, state House leaders have put off a decision on whether to finance $40 million in bond money for a conservation easement at Turtle Bay Resort until Thursday, the last day of session. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Salary Commission voted 5-1 Tuesday to give the mayor, City Council members and most city department heads raises of 8 percent next year. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii-Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple is proposing to eliminate six to eight mostly-vacant dean and director positions and consolidate departments to save more than $1 million a year. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu's housing market is  becoming even more expensive, and recruiters say that the high cost of living here is a  major hurdle in attracting employees. Pacific Business News.

Some of Honolulu's homeless are moving off the streets and into secluded tree houses. Hawaii News Now.

Outrigger Enterprises Group plans to cap off its Waikiki Beach Project with another $100 million investment, which would add meeting space and a 350-foot hotel tower to the Outrigger Reef on the Beach. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

More than a decade after Geoffrey Molfino bought — and sold — a 49-acre parcel of Hawaii Island land, the case he brought against the county for allegedly failing to maintain accurate records was heard before the state’s highest court. In an unusual move — for the first time on record — the Supreme Court justices met in West Hawaii, in a courtroom convened in the Kealakehe High School gym, to allow Molfino’s attorney, Peter Esser, and Deputy Corporation Counsel Laureen Martin to make their oral arguments. West Hawaii Today.

A state Senate bill seeking funds for a proposed flight-training center at Hilo International Airport was deferred last week. The state House of Representatives passed SB 3092 earlier this month, but the measure did not make it out of conference committees last week. Tribune-Herald.

The leases for three Banyan Drive properties will expire next year, leaving hotel operators and residents little certainty about their future. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island minister Roger Christie learned his legal fate Monday, and his case has invigorated lawmakers and advocates who believe, as Christie does, that marijuana should be made legal. Christie was held for 3 years and 9 months in Hawaii’s Federal Detention Center without bail and or a trial on charges related to growing and distributing marijuana. Hawaii Reporter.

Maui

A recent study tested five Maui Meadows residences that had opted to install smart meters in 2012 and found that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the devices is not enough to present a hazard to residents in the area. Maui News.

Despite not getting the share of the hotel room tax he anticipated, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa told council members Monday that he doesn't want to increase property taxes, as there are other ways the county can make up for lost revenue. Maui News.

Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Mike White wants to cut current property tax rates by 3.1 percent as well as maintain rates for trash collection fees, reduce county overtime pay and eliminate any new county positions. Maui News.

Kauai

Styrofoam free. Kilauea takes big step to become even more green friendly. Garden Island.

County officials across the state may have to wait a little longer to get more of their share of tax revenues charged to most visitor accommodations throughout the state. Garden Island.

RIMPAC heading to Hawaii, Lingle chairs Djou campaign, Maui to lower property taxes, pot minister gets 5 years, hotel tax downsized, Kauai to make ballot initiatives harder, hospital privatization fails, Hawaii County mulls raises, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

RIMPAC 2012 courtesy U.S. Navy

Twenty-three nations, about 40 ships, six submarines, hundreds of aircraft and 25,000 people are participating in this year's Rim of the Pacific war games in and around Hawaii June 26 to Aug. 1, the Navy said. Details until now have been few, but Navy officials released some of the specifics of this summer's iteration of the world's largest international maritime exercise. Star-Advertiser.

The state's four mayors and County Council leaders failed in their full-court press to get the state Legislature to lift the cap on their share of hotel room tax revenues Friday, but they walked away with $10 million more for their troubles. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would have authorized Hawaii’s semipublic hospitals to work with private partners won’t become law this year. Senate Bill 3064, sponsored by Sen. Josh Green, D-Kona, Ka‘u, died late Friday night, when officials failed to release it. West Hawaii Today.

A bill to name the ukulele the official state musical instrument stalled and died last week in conference committee because both houses could not reach an agreement. But there is still hope for passage of another measure that could do the same thing before the session adjourns Thursday. Hawaii Public Radio.

State lawmakers advanced a proposal on Friday to increase the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by January 2018. Maui Now.

Wooley

Jessica Wooley, chairwoman of the House Agriculture committee whom Abercrombie has appointed director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control, faces opposition from key legislators in the Hawaii state Senate. So does  Brian Tamamoto, appointed to serve on the Hawaii Community Development Authority. Civil Beat.

Hawaii environmental groups have launched a campaign to pressure state Senators to confirm House Agriculture Chair Jessica Wooley as the governor’s Director of ​the Office of ​Environmental Quality Control. Hawaii Reporter.

A $500,000 pesticide subsidy aimed at combating the coffee berry borer has made it through its last round of negotiations and is scheduled today for a final vote in the state Legislature. Tribune-Herald.

A cap on the salary Hawaii pays its schools superintendent would get a boost for the first time in 13 years under a bill — initially presumed dead for this session — lawmakers advanced out of conference committee Monday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would have made it easier for residents of high-rise apartment buildings and renters to switch to solar was killed in conference committee on Friday. Senate Bill 2934 was a priority piece of legislation for clean-energy advocates. The measure would have allowed residents without roof space or those living in areas where Hawaiian Electric Co.’s electric grid can’t accommodate any more solar to still take advantage of solar energy. Civil Beat.

Hawaii ranks in the top 10 in the United States for solar energy with both Hawaiian Electric Co. and the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative recognized for being leaders on both the solar megawatts rankings and the solar watts-per-customer rankings, according to a new report released Monday. Pacific Business News.

A state board has issued new rules for solar panel installation that will require journeyman electricians to do more of the work, which is expected to raise the cost of installing the systems. Associated Press.

Hawaii legislators will vote on a bill today that will make it a felony to post a photograph of an individual in the nude without their permission. Tribune-Herald.

Lingle © 2014 All Hawaii News

Former two-term Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is chairing Charles Djou’s campaign for Congress, the Republican candidate announced Monday. Civil Beat.

State Rep. Mark Takai has a status that no other candidate in the Democratic primary for Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District can match. Takai is a combat veteran. Civil Beat.

There were 760 fewer visitors arriving in Hawaii each day in the first quarter of 2014 compared with a year earlier, and those who came spent a dollar less per day, as the tourism industry continued to lag behind last year's record numbers. Star-Advertiser.

The US Department of Education released a report on high school graduation rates across the country for 2012 on Monday. For the first time ever, the rate hit 80%. Hawaii beat the national average at 82%. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for April 29. Associated Press.

Oahu

The company contracted to oversee various construction projects at the University of Hawaii is suing the school for more than $4.6 million over complications related to two projects, including $2.8 million for costly delays to the brand-new UH Manoa Campus Center. Civil Beat.

Detractors have called it unaffordable housing, but a planned second tower of the 801 South St. condominium project in Kakaako has attracted an overwhelming number of buyers with moderate incomes. Star-Advertiser.

An undercover sting at a Keeaumoku massage parlor could wind up backfiring on Honolulu Police. Police arrested a 41-year-old woman at the VIP Lounge for prostitution back in February but only after the vice officer said he engaged in sexual activity with the woman. Hawaii News Now.

The state has agreed to settle three alleged abuse cases against Kipapa Elementary School employees for a total of $190,000. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Six county department heads and three deputy directors will get 5 percent raises July 1, but heftier pay hikes for the County Council, mayor and top managers are less certain, following action Monday by the county Salary Commission. West Hawaii Today.

A Big Island man who openly used his ministry to promote marijuana use has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for having 300 pot plants as part of a distribution ring. Associated Press.

The wife of a Hilo man who was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison for having 284 marijuana plants called his sentence — and hers — “disappointing." Sherryanne “Share” Christie, the wife of Roger Christie, received a 27-month prison sentence for her role in what prosecutors described as a drug distribution ring. Tribune-Herald.

Bids to complete the Mamalahoa bypass came in slightly higher than Hawaii County officials had estimated they would. But bids for the second half of the project, building a new intersection at the Napoopoo Road junction with Mamalahoa Highway, came in slightly lower than estimates. West Hawaii Today.

Pohakuloa Training Area could see upgrades, including a runway capable of handling large air transports, under a bill aimed at enhancing the U.S. military’s operations in the Pacific region. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Budget and Finance Committee Chair Mike White today announced a proposed average 9% reduction to real property tax rates for the fiscal year 2015 budget. Maui Now.

As the costs of long-term care for seniors continue to climb, especially in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, officials with Maui agencies that deal with aging suggest senior residents take more preventative measures. Maui News.

Kauai

In the future, amending the Kauai County Charter via a citizen’s petition could be more difficult. On Monday, the County of Kauai Charter Review Commission discussed, and later deferred for one month, a proposal that would quadruple the number of signatures required to petition an amendment to the charter from 5 to 20 percent of registered voters. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative was honored Monday by the Solar Electric Power Association as one of the nation’s Top 10 utilities for its delivery of solar energy. Garden Island.

No aloha for ukulele, GMO fervor brings campaign cash, final week for Hawaii Legislature, election day voter registration advances, Pohakuloa could get military money, Maui airport improvements bring runway closure, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ukulele player in Merrie Monarch parade © 2014 All Hawaii News

Sorry, ukulele. Hawaii won’t spurn the steel guitar to sound its love for you. Bills in the state Legislature that would’ve declared the friendly little guitar the official instrument of Hawaii both died near the end of the legislative session. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers are heading into the last week of the 2014 Legislative session, preparing to clear the decks on hundreds of bills before the action ends Thursday. Associated Press.

Chad Blair: Why I Hate Conference Committee. Civil Beat.

The fervor surrounding genetically engineered crops in Hawaii is expected to spill into this year's elections, as a number of candidates have already begun framing their campaigns around an anti-GMO sentiment. It's also anticipated to lead to increased spending on particular races that will pit opponents of genetically modified organisms against those who believe that large agribusiness and chemical companies, such as Monsanto, Syngenta and BASF, are a boon to the local economy and global food production research. Civil Beat.

A bill that would ban smoking in and around Hawaii Public Housing Authority units is headed for passage by the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers are considering a measure to downward voter turnout reverse the trend by allowing same-day voter registration. Hawaii News Now.

A state board has issued long-awaited licensing guidelines covering workers who install solar panels — a move that will result in a greater involvement of licensed electricians in the installation process. Star-Advertiser.

The influential Sierra Club of Hawaii is urging people to ask state senators to vote in favor of Jessica Wooley's appointment as director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s elevator standards are on their way up — but they have further to go. Two years ago, Hawaii's elevators were on a downward trajectory. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) was way behind on elevator and boiler inspections, and working with an “archaic” code that some experts said was a threat to public safety. More than 5,000 of the more than 7,000 elevators in the state required inspecting, meaning that no one knew for sure how many needed repairs. Civil Beat.

Heart of tourism industry lies in hana hou visitors. Problems with the homeless and increases in travel costs could keep some from coming back, officials say. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for April 28. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu’s Salary Commission is recommending raises of 8 percent for many of the city’s top officials – a rate that’s almost five times the annual inflation rate. That might seem like a steep increase, but for many of the positions — such as the police and fire chiefs and Honolulu City Council members — salaries would still lag far behind those of their counterparts in mainland cities of comparable size. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Bill would upgrade Pohakuloa. A measure set to be introduced in Congress would assess security in Asia and the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

There’s a good chance three former or current council members will be running for the Puna District 4 County Council seat, following the addition this week of former Councilwoman Emily Naeole. West Hawaii Today.

House and Senate conferees have agreed to include funding in the state budget for two major Big Island projects — the planned $90 million Kona Judiciary Complex and the planned $55 million University of Hawaii Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy building. Pacific Business News.

The state Legislature’s budget conference committee has agreed on a proposal to fund a permanent building for the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, legislators and university officials said Friday. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Council members tapped their district contingency funds for $525,354 during the last 10 months, with a majority of expenditures going to park facilities. Tribune-Herald.

Two students at the University of Hawaii at Hilo have filed a federal lawsuit against the school, alleging their First Amendment rights were violated on campus. The lawsuit claims U.H. Hilo staff prevented them from passing out copies of the U.S. Constitution. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

The House Finance Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee put finishing touches on the state budget, approving funds for several key capital improvement projects in Central Maui, including funds for: the widening of Puʻunēnē Avenue; planning and design of a new middle school in Central Maui; and design and construction of a Central Maui Regional Park and Sports Complex. Maui Now.

Repair and reconstruction of the taxiway for Kahului Airport's main runway that begins Wednesday will force the closure of the runway during nighttime hours most days through the end of the year and will increase air traffic over Kahului and Wailuku, the state Department of Transportation said. Maui News.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday approved a request to restrict hunting dogs for at least two years in Molokai's Puu Alii Natural Area Reserve and in portions of reserve areas in East and West Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

Several nonprofit organizations are supporting a charter amendment petition to regulate pesticides and the growth of genetically modified organisms on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

It’s a question of in-house versus outsourcing. A cost-saving proposal by the Office of the County Attorney to create a litigation team within the County of Kauai department is being met with some resistance by officials who question how the team would be assembled — and whether the extra attorneys would be financially worth it. Garden Island.

State and county representatives are celebrating the passage of a measure that pushes back the sunset clause on a law that allows county lifeguards to operate on state beaches. Garden Island.