Hawaii Business Magazine

Hawai‘i lawmakers aim to enlarge ‘rainy day’ and retirement funds
House and Senate negotiators during a Friday evening meeting agreed to appropriate a $300 million deposit into the state’s emergency and budget reserve fund, also known as the “rainy day” fund, and $135 million into a trust fund to pay for future retirement benefits of Hawai‘i government workers. Star-Advertiser.

HECO’s future remains uncertain as governor attempts to revive securitization bill
A Senate bill would have allowed Hawaiian Electric to issue ratepayer-backed bonds — a process called securitization — to pay for wildfire mitigation efforts. As of Sunday, neither the spokesperson for the Senate nor the governor’s office had any updates on the status of the bill. Hawaii Public Radio.

Transportation bills caught lawmakers’ attention this session
Lawmakers advanced bills this year that would increase car insurance, use cameras to ticket speeding motorists and another to require that slow-moving drivers on two-lane highways pull over and let the cars behind them pass. The House and Senate are scheduled to take final floor votes on all three measures on Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Nonprofits seek help as poverty in Hawai‘i hits 15%
The number of ALICE families in Hawai‘i increased from 9% in 2018 to 15% in 2022, according to a report. Child & Family Service president and CEO Amanda Pump said some 44% of the state was below the ALICE threshold, or the average income required to afford basic necessities for living. Star-Advertiser.

Education bills advance to full House and Senate
The bills up for passage include a statewide registry that would document and share all school staff misdeeds, along with other bills to ease qualifications for teacher licenses in Hawai‘i and provide more funding for Hawaiian immersion education. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i is known for its macadamia nuts. Lawmakers want to keep it that way
State lawmakers are due to vote on a bill Wednesday that would require consumer packages to disclose when they contain macadamia nuts grown outside of Hawai‘i. Associated Press.

Legislation would fund programs to help control the feral chickens
A pair of bills on the verge of passing the state Legislature would allocate $50,000 to each of the state’s four counties in order to develop management programs to address the growing feral chicken population. Tribune-Herald.

Cancellation of ‘NCIS: Hawaii’ deals big blow fans — and to Hawaii’s economy
Hawai‘i casting director Rachel Whitley estimates CBS spent $75 million a season on NCIS: Hawaii. The cancellation also means that CBS won’t be filming a show in Hawai‘i since 2010, when “Hawaii Five-O” began production, followed by “Magnum, P.I.” Hawaii News Now.

Former deputy prosecutor says he had probable cause to charge Honolulu architect with theft
Former deputy prosecuting attorney Jake Delaplane said he believed he had probable cause to charge Honolulu architect Laurel Mau with theft. Delaplane is a key witness in the ongoing federal bribery trial of former Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro and five co-defendants. Civil Beat.

Inmate missing after court transport was chased off jail property by corrections officers, sources say
An O‘ahu Community Correctional Center inmate was somehow lost during a court transport Friday afternoon and then told to leave the jail property when corrections officers didn’t know who he was. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

The ranking evaluates the nation’s publicly traded banks and thrifts based on profitability, growth and credit quality… read more.

Closures in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park expanded due to high seismicity
The closures began Monday afternoon and expanded to include the Chain of Craters Road from the intersection at Crater Rim Drive. Authorities stress there’s no evidence of an imminent eruption, but they are monitoring the area because of increased seismic activity.  Big Island Video News. Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

County looks to acquire ʻAnaehoʻomalu coastal lands
The County of Hawaiʻi could be looking to acquire 27-acres of land in the area of ʻAnaehoʻomalu, a parcel on the South Kohala coast that was identified late last year as a top priority for preservation.  Big Island Video News.

Nearly 5 tons in tires removed from Kailua Bay
The bay has been a dumping ground for years, said Sarah Milisen, Hawai‘i Island Chapter leader for Ocean Defenders Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to cleaning and protecting marine ecosystems.  On Earth Day, the nonprofit organized the largest cleanup of Kailua Bay where 61 tires were brought to the surface. Big Island Now.

Maui fire compensation fund deadline is extended
Families who lost a loved one in the deadly Aug. 8 Maui wildfires — or victims who suffered serious injuries — now have until May 31 to register for the One ‘Ohana Fund, which offers them financial compensation. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Food Bank says distribution demand is up 65% since August wildfires
Maui Food Bank now distributes about 160,000 pounds of fresh produce every month — and more than 1.4 million pounds total. They mostly distribute that food through local community hubs, but Maui Food Bank is gearing up to launch its own food center in Lahaina this summer. Hawaii Public Radio.

New County Recovery Permit Center now open in Kahului
The new County of Maui Recovery Permit Center provides a vital resource for those who are looking to rebuild in fire-affected areas in Lahaina and Kula as they navigate the permitting process and take the next step toward returning home. Maui Now. Maui News.  KITV4.

Fine for 2023 Maui yacht grounding skyrockets to $1.8M
The parties that damaged coral and live rock near Honolua Bay with a yacht in early 2023 were originally fined $117,000. The significant increase comes following calls from the public for officials to consider the losses sustained from cultural, emotional and utility standpoints. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui News.

MHS transports 50 cats to Silicon Valley
After taking in more than 880 displaced animals from the August 8, 2023, wildfires, Maui Humane Society is continuing to face capacity challenges with cats rescued from the Lahaina burn zone.  Maui News.

Construction work on tap for recreational areas
A couple of County of Kaua‘i recreational areas are being closed in order for maintenance work to be done ahead of the summer season. Garden Island.