Legislature mulls rental car impact fee, opposes putting $1B in rainy day fund, Kauai military crash victims identified, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

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Climate change impact fee on rental cars proposed. A plan to charge tourists a special rental car fee to offset their effect on climate change has been met with technical and philosophical pushback, along with support to have visitors pay more to help the environment. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers rain on Gov. David Ige’s plan for $1 billion ‘rainy day’ fund. Hawaii lawmakers this week zeroed out the proposed $1 billion emergency savings account appropriation in a Senate bill introduced on behalf of Ige, and deferred an identical House companion bill. Star-Advertiser.

Restorative Justice Group Calls For Sweeping Reform Of Women’s Prison System. A group of prominent women is pushing for a complete overhaul of Hawaii’s women’s prison system through a slew of bills under consideration by the Legislature. Civil Beat.

Bills Would Limit Rental Application Fees. Only one member of a household may be charged a $25 fee under measures moving through the Legislature. Civil Beat.

Measure that would settle OHA's share of public land trust revenue heads to final Senate vote. Hawaiʻi lawmakers are considering a bill to settle unresolved issues over exactly how much public land trust revenue the state must direct toward the betterment of Native Hawaiians. Hawaii Public Radio.

Constitutional Changes And Legal Challenges Loom As Redistricting Commission Wraps Up Work. State lawmakers want to change the way the commission counts military personnel and college students. Civil Beat.

3 former Hawaii defense contractors plead not guilty in illegal campaign scheme. Martin Kao, 48, Clifford Chen, 48, and Lawrence “Kahele” Lum Kee, 52, of Martin Defense Group LLC, formerly known as Navatek LLC, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make conduit and government contractor contributions, and making government contractor contributions to support U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) who ran for reelection in 2020 and won. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press.

Former OHA trustee Oswald ‘Oz’ Stender remembered for his dedication to the Native Hawaiian community, dies at 90. Oswald “Oz” Stender, who rose above the turmoil of the Bishop Estate’s “Broken Trust” scandal and went on to serve 14 years as an Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee, died Wednesday. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

DOE sets rules for Hawaii graduation ceremonies. The state Department of Education has released its gathering rules for this year’s graduation and transition ceremonies. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Feb. 23, 2022 COVID-19 update: 134 new infections in Hawaiʻi. The  count includes two cases on Maui, 12 on Hawaiʻi Island, 10 on Kauaʻi, one on Molokaʻi, 0 on Lānaʻi, and 18 out of state.  There are 91 new COVID-19 cases on Oʻahu. Maui Now.

Oahu

Council unanimously passes bill mandating permits for large underground storage tanks, in response to Red Hill. The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday unanimously backed a measure that requires a city permit to operate an underground storage tank system that can hold more than 100,000 gallons of any regulated substance. It also requires the permit seeker to secure approval from the state health director. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers want the state to take over Lake Wilson, but it would come at a steep price. Some state lawmakers want the state to take over Wahiawa’s Lake Wilson and the surrounding irrigation system. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Settles Four Law Enforcement Lawsuits. The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday approved legal payouts totaling millions of dollars to settle lawsuits filed against the Honolulu Police Department and Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Kenneth Silva Appointed To Honolulu Police Commission. Former fire chief will fill the lone vacancy on the seven-member police commission. Civil Beat.

City: Efforts to tackle crime in Chinatown are working, but there’s more work to do. The city administration says efforts such as cracking down on criminal activity has improved Chinatown during the past year. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

Council advances homeless funding bill. Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung, jogging Wednesday morning prior to the County Council meeting, came upon a large “Aloha, Welcome to Kona” sign. West Hawaii Today.

Council members question funding requests for waste management equipment. Requests for hundreds of thousands of dollars for equipment for the county Department of Environmental Management led to frustration at Wednesday’s County Council meeting. Tribune-Herald.

County’s Honuʻapo Lands in Kaʻū to Reopen. Because the area is cooling and new safety measures put in place, Hawaiʻi County will reopen some of its public lands in Kaʻū that have been closed since October. Big Island Now.

Maui

1,150-unit Honua‘ula project heads to mediation. The Honua’ula master-planned community of more than 1,000 housing units and mixed-use development faces yet another challenge as it heads into mediation and may end up in a contested case hearing. Maui News.

Maui Is Getting Ready To Move Part Of A Major Highway Due To Climate Change. The Honoapiilani Highway is the main artery in and out of West Maui and keeping it open is considered crucial for public safety, commerce, tourism and other transportation needs. Civil Beat.

Temporary closure of Lahainaluna boy’s dorm comes amid investigation into misconduct allegations. A temporary closure of the boys’ dormitory at Lahainaluna High School went into effect on Tuesday, Feb. 22, and will continue for nearly a month through March 20, 2022, the state Department of Education has confirmed. Maui Now.

Kauai

Victims of Kauai helicopter crash identified. Matthew Haider, 43, Erika Tevez-Valdez, 42, Daniel Maurice, 64, and Patrick Rader, 55, were killed in Tuesday’s deadly helicopter crash on Kauai. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press. Garden Island. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

State auditor slammed in House report, 16-year-olds and up now eligible for vaccines on two islands, Senate panel approves hikes in estate, conveyance taxes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

State Auditor Les Kondo courtesy photo

Report: State Auditor Not In ‘Complete Compliance’ With Constitution. The office, currently led by State Auditor Les Kondo, was “inconsistent” in its application of auditing standards, leading to a years-long project by the staff to revise the office’s own operating and standards manual. The report, released Thursday by the Hawaii House of Representatives, concluded that the State Auditor has “not been in complete compliance” with article VII, section 10 of the Hawaii State Constitution, which could pave the way for Kondo’s removal. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Senate Panel Approves Increases In Hawaii Estate, Conveyance Taxes. The measure would also suspend some excise tax exemptions for various industries to generate extra tax revenue. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Restaurants Could Escape Shifting Pandemic Rules Under Proposed Program. An initiative to help small businesses avoid government mandates has gained traction with some policymakers and could eventually include other industries. Civil Beat.

Bill to disclose COVID-19 cases by school makes headway at Hawaii Legislature. A bill requiring the Department of Education to publicly identify which schools have coronavirus cases is moving forward at the Legislature, although state officials are concerned it might lead to panic and stigma. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Jockeys For Advantage In Biden’s $2 Trillion Infrastructure Plan. Local politicians, business leaders and labor organizers say Hawaii needs funds to reduce its dependence on petroleum, boost rail and improve wastewater systems. Civil Beat.

How Addressing Hawaii’s Affordable Housing Crisis Could Help Farming Efforts. Farmers say housing insecurity threatens their ability to retain employees and makes it difficult to ramp up production. Civil Beat.

Hawaii officials concerned about dramatic increases in car rental prices. Daily prices for rental cars in Hawaii are in the hundreds and the issue has caught the attention of state authorities. Hawaii has seen car rental prices as high as $600 a day while some are even higher. KHON2.

Hawaii traffic fatalities more than double for first 3 months of 2021. In the first three months of this year, the state of Hawaii tallied 25 traffic-related fatalities, four more than during the same time period last year. Star-Advertiser.

Vaccination sites prepare to ramp up as record number of doses head to Hawaii. It’s the moment health officials have been waiting for: A record number of COVID vaccines are on the way to Hawaii and immunization sites are getting ready. Hawaii News Now.

Neighbor Islands to expand vaccine eligibility to those age 16 and 18 as more doses arrive. As the state receives more COVID vaccine doses, the Department of Health is asking Neighbor Islands to expand eligibility -- and many counties are jumping at the opportunity. Hawaii News Now.

April 1, 2021 COVID-19 Update: The state Department of Health reports that there were 114 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Thursday, including 72 on O‘ahu, 30 on Maui, eight on Hawai‘i Island, and four in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed while out of state. Maui Now.

Oahu

Oahu restaurants maneuver new ban on plastic ware. Honolulu restaurants are adjusting to the ban on plastic bags, plastic straws and plastic utensils that went into effect Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Kahuku Wind Farm Case Goes Before Hawaii Supreme Court. The fate of dozens of endangered hoary bats was at the center of state Supreme Court arguments on Thursday in a case that could stall the operations of a controversial wind farm in Kahuku and raise the stakes for other renewable energy projects in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Replacing paper passes, HOLO cards are the new way to pay on the bus. A new pass system is being implemented for riders of TheBus. The old paper passes are being replaced with a new, modern HOLO card that riders can tap against a card reader when they enter the bus. Hawaii News Now. Star-Advertiser.

Former Oahu Little League coach charged with 15 counts of child pornography. Federal prosecutors have charged a former Oahu Little League coach with 15 counts of child pornography. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

COVID vaccinations now open to all Big Island residents 16 and older. As it prepares to administer 5,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Saturday, Hilo Medical Center announced its expanded eligibility Thursday. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Post-flight COVID testing to be scaled back. Testing of arriving trans-Pacific travelers at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole and Hilo International Airport will be reduced by 50% in April, said Cyrus Johnasen, spokesman for Mayor Mitch Roth. West Hawaii Today.

Youth Challenge Academy funds pass budget muster. When the state Senate Ways and Means Committee passed the House’s version of a $31.36 billion operating budget for the next two fiscal years starting July 1, funding was included for the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Academy in Hilo, which had been on the chopping block early in the legislative session. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiʻi PUC Suspends PGV Docket Pending Environmental Review. Puna Geothermal Ventures and Hawaiian Electric are proposing to expand the geothermal generation facility’s capacity from 38 megawatts to 46 megawatts, extend the PPA term by 30 years, and decrease pricing, among other things. Big Island Video News.

Owners of Hilo Iron Works building request change of zoning. The building, which was built in 1907, was the subject of a Windward Planning Commission discussion Thursday, with the owners of the building requesting a change of zoning for the site in order to make working with the building more palatable for developers. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui church, King’s Cathedral & Chapels disputes virus cluster designation. King’s Cathedral &Chapels is pushing back against the state Department of Health’s determination of a COVID- 19 cluster of at least 55 infections among church members, saying the cases were scattered across its two dozen congregations in Maui County. Star-Advertiser. Maui News. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Victorino seeks mandatory post-arrival test for travelers. Citing fast-moving variants sweeping the island, Mayor Michael Victorino on Wednesday said a second test may be mandated come mid-April for returning residents and visitors to Maui County. Maui News.

Virtual Conference To Explore Energy Transition in Hawaiʻi Set for June 22 & 24. The 8th Hawaiʻi Energy Conference to explore the “Energy Transition in Hawaiʻi: Focus on investments in people and projects” will be held virtually June 22 and 24. Maui Now.

Kauai

Vaccines offered to all 16 and older. The county announced that all residents age 16 and over are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines beginning Monday, April 5, at clinics around the island. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i County reentering state Safe Travels program. Kaua‘i is reentering the state’s Safe Travels program on Monday, April 5, and as the island prepares to welcome back more travelers, the County of Kaua‘i is also starting to reopen some doors and restructure some rules at the Lihu‘e Civic Center Kapule Building. Garden Island.

$3.5M capital-improvement-project funds released for Kaua‘i. The projects span from road safety and school improvements to design for the Ahukini landfill and new medical equipment. Garden Island.

Bills HB160, HB161 aim to clean up the streets. The county Abandoned Vehicles Task Force is currently lobbying the state Legislature to pass HB160 and HB161, actions that would help boost owner accountability. Garden Island.