HB1949 would create a public dashboard and reporting rules so Hawaiʻi residents can see how green‑fee revenues are allocated and spent.

Colleen Hanabusa, a longtime force in Hawaii politics and former U.S. representative, has died at 74 after a private battle with cancer.

A state audit finds the Hawaiʻi DOE lacks the data, procurement controls and staff to meet a 30% local‑food school meals mandate by 2030. Key systems and tracking are broken.

Lawmakers advanced a bill asking DBEDT to study sports tourism’s economic potential, folding an Aloha Stadium assessment and pro‑sports feasibility into the review.

A state bill would allow digital advertising screens in Waikīkī and the new Aloha Stadium district, splitting opinion between developers and neighborhood leaders. The proposal cleared early committee hurdles but faces local resistance.

A Senate bill that would let police enforce trespass at school campuses on weekends advanced out of committee, dividing neighbors and lawmakers over playground access. Supporters point to vandalism; critics fear families could be penalized.

Hawaii County awarded grants to a tiny Hilo women’s shelter that county fire records show was never inspected, and residents say bedroom windows aren’t code‑compliant. Local reporting has prompted calls for an auditor review of the homelessness fund.

Honolulu clarified where food trucks and sidewalk vendors can operate and where enforcement can lead to fines or license suspensions.

HB1590 would let counties use time‑stamped screenshots as evidence and require listing platforms to report bookings and collect taxes, part of a bid to protect housing.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi unveiled a $5B‑plus budget on March 3, 2026 that reprioritizes housing, public safety and major sewer work while trimming overall spending by $133M. The packet now heads to the City Council for review.

A House committee advanced bills to centralize benefits, fund nonprofits and preserve Medicaid and SNAP eligibility as federal rules change.

New reporting finds the National Kidney Foundation of Hawai‘i billed taxpayers up to $166 per PCR test and has launched an outside review amid scrutiny.

A narrowly worded charter question could ask Honolulu voters whether the county should begin designing a living‑wage framework as research points to low pay driving locals away.