House Committee Wins Rusty Scalpel Award for Hurricane Frankenbill
The House public safety committee voted to gut a criminal justice reform bill and replace it with a bill looking at hurricane-resistant school structures with no input from advocates or the community.
Rep. Tom “Sledgehammer” Brower Named Housing Committee Chair
Brower’s disparaging words and dehumanizing actions toward those experiencing houselessness in Hawaiʻi make him a controversial choice to chair the committee.
TPP Fast Track Passes Senate, But the Fight is Far From Over
If progressives can push the Democratic presidential candidates to oppose the TPP, it could go a long way in flipping Congressional Democrats from yes to no.
Rep. Wooley’s Gut-and-Replace Gambit
In an attempt to get a GMO-labeling bill heard this session, Rep. Jessica Wooley turned to a legislative maneuver that many agree is an unsavory tactic.
Minimum Wage Increase Watered Down to Appease Business Owners
The House labor committee's draft of the minimum wage increase bill is pitched as a compromise, but still favors small business owners over their employees.
County Preemption Measure Dies in Committee
A bill that would have given the state broader authority to preempt county ordinances it finds inconvenient failed to find enough support to pass through the senate agriculture committee.