News
Word Flower: May 18
6+ day, 40+ min ago (152+ words) Honolulu Civil Beat News That Matters Support us Investigative stories and local news updates. Coverage of the Hawai'i State legislature in 2025. Commentary, Analysis and Opinion. Award winning in-depth reports and featured on-going series. What a way to start the week....
Beth Fukumoto: We Can And Should Do Better Next Session On AI
2+ day, 42+ min ago (446+ words) Hawai'i's efforts to protect the public and regulate artificial intelligence fell short compared to other states. Hawai'i's 2026 Legislature faced more decisions about artificial intelligence than any session before it, touching government services, health care and children's lives. Some passed. Many…...
Hawai'i Bill Would Make Judges Weigh Trauma Of Juvenile Offenders
1+ day, 44+ min ago (1208+ words) The proposed law, which awaits the governor's signature, would also bar youth who have been trafficked or sexually abused from being charged as adults for crimes in which their abuser is the victim. Hawai'i is poised to become one of…...
AT&T Withdraws Controversial Kaua'i Cell Tower Plan
1+ day, 1+ hour ago (906+ words) Community members on the North Shore overwhelmingly opposed a plan to build a cell tower less than 50 feet from one resident's bedroom window. A telecommunications company has called off a contentious plan to build a 125-foot cellphone tower in a…...
Hawai'i Pays The Highest Electric Rates In The Nation. We Don't Have To
2+ day, 1+ hour ago (574+ words) Let's make it easier and faster to permit and build clean energy in Hawai'i. Hawai'i residents currently pay an average of 43 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity, the highest rate in the country and 2. 4 times the U. S. average, according to EIA. Hawaiian…...
LNG Is About Being Bold, Doing Good And Getting It Right
20+ hour, 6+ min ago (812+ words) Hawai'i needs reliable, affordable and safe energy to power and sustain us. Recent, potentially transformative plans for implementing liquid natural gas into Hawai'i's energy mix have triggered widespread discussion and debate over our collective future. The focus on energy is…...
The Sunshine Blog: Did A State Senator Kill A Rep's Bill Out Of Spite?
2+ day, 31+ min ago (1517+ words) By The Sunshine Blog Short takes, outtakes, our takes and other stuff you should know about public information, government accountability and ethical leadership in Hawai'i. The power of one: Approximately 268 bills passed the Hawai'i House and Senate this year, which…...
Will Caron: Pay No Attention
3+ day, 46+ min ago (207+ words) Honolulu Civil Beat Will Caron: Pay No Attention Politics, policy and public affairs as seen through the eyes of our political cartoonist. Will Caron is director of communications at the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, a policy…...
Honolulu Police Chief Candidate Investigated In Georgia Over Conduct
20+ hour, 53+ min ago (1143+ words) Scott Ebner told Civil Beat he knows noting about the investigation, which apparently is still open. Former Glynn County, Georgia Police Chief Scott Ebner, now a finalist for the Honolulu chief job, has been under investigation for months over allegations…...
The Sunshine Interview: UHERO Economists Drill Down On Housing Policy
20+ hour, 56+ min ago (1878+ words) By The Civil Beat Staff University of Hawai'i experts emphasized solving the state's housing crisis requires building new housing because it frees up old housing as well. Editor's note: Civil Beat reporters and editors recently met with Carl Bonham, Steven…...