Government & Politics

Honolulu’s prosecuting attorney says a judge’s ruling to acquit state Rep. Sharon Har was wrong, and the evidence was more than enough for a DUI conviction. HPR’s Casey Harlow has more.

A new report is making several recommendations to improve a department in charge of the city’s digital infrastructure. But the department’s head disagrees with its findings. HPR’s Casey Harlow has more.

Officials say the U.S. Navy will comply with Hawaiʻi's order to remove fuel from the Oʻahu fuel storage facility blamed for contaminating the Navy's drinking water system. But it remains unclear if the Navy will pursue a legal challenge to the order in the future.

A judge acquitted a state lawmaker charged with driving under the influence. Honolulu prosecutors say they are disappointed by the ruling.

During the upcoming legislative session, the Working Families Caucus will sponsor five bills. They focus on raising the minimum wage, paid sick and family leave, the earned income tax credit, renter’s credit and exempting unemployment payments from personal income tax.

The Commission on Water Resource Management expressed its support for the state emergency order requiring the Navy to defuel its Red Hill fuel storage facility. As HPR’s Scott Kim reports, the commission also voted to create a permitted interaction group, or PIG, to investigate the crisis.

A Public Utilities commissioner said backup diesel generators would need to be purchased if the state didn’t meet its 2045 clean energy goal. State Senator Glenn Wakai told State Energy Officer Scott Glenn the comment made him believe the state doesn’t have a strategy to meet its goal.

The state Council on Revenues has more than doubled its forecast for Hawaiʻi's general fund tax revenue for this fiscal year. The council now expects that revenue to increase by 15% for the fiscal year ending in June — that’s up from its September forecast, where it predicted 6.3% growth.

The Monsanto company pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally using and storing agricultural chemicals in Hawaiʻi, and will pay $12 million in fines. Monsanto was charged with 30 environmental crimes after allowing workers to go into corn fields on Oʻahu in 2020 after a product named Forfeit 280 was sprayed.

The Hawaiʻi Office of Elections Reapportionment Commission is trying to resolve a dilemma about how to redraw voting districts. Revised census numbers from the military could mean adding a house lawmaker for the Big Island and subtracting one from Oʻahu. The Conversation's Catherine Cruz has more.