The 32nd Hawaii State Legislature convenes Wednesday with several new faces, a litany of familiar issues to tackle and pressure from a new but familiar governor eager to make a strong first impression.
What You Need To Know
Last year, lawmakers passed hundreds of measures to revive shuttered programs and services, resolve longstanding funding issues with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, invest heavily in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and address a host of issues from affordable housing to broadband infrastructure to climate-change mitigation
While the economic forecast calls for more subdued growth, the ongoing recovery of the tourism industry and other positive indicators means legislators are still in a position to invest meaningfully in programs, policies and initiatives that address affordable housing, homelessness, education, health care, infrastructure, climate-change mitigation and other high-priority issues
Newly elected Gov. Josh Green’s stated ambitions to eliminate the state excise tax for food and medicine and create a new visitor fee to fund conservations effort received an early check from House Speaker Scott Saiki and Senate President Ron Kouchi, an indication perhaps that Green’s promise of a historically productive partnership may take some time to establish
In announcing their priorities entering the new session, the Democratic majorities in both chambers identified housing as a top concern.
This year’s Legislature will be hard-pressed to match the activity of last session, during which lawmakers under fire for a less-than-productive 2021 session and empowered by a surprise $2 billion surplus passed hundreds of measures to revive shuttered programs and services, resolve longstanding funding issues with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, invest heavily in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and address a host of issues from affordable housing to broadband infrastructure to climate-change mitigation.
