WHO/WHAT: The Senate Committee on Judiciary (JDC) will convene an informational briefing to hear from the Honorable Mark E. Recktenwald, retired Chief Justice, Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, and a member of the Alliance of Former Chief Justices, on the rule of law and the role of an independent judiciary. WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 10:00 a.m. Conference Room 229 & Videoconference Hawaiʻi State Capitol 415 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI 96813 PRESENTER: • The Honorable Mark E. Recktenwald (Retired), Chief Justice, Hawaiʻi Supreme Court PURPOSE: U.S. presidential executive orders and policies have challenged the powers of the judicial branch and tested the limits of the rule of law. The briefing will examine these issues and discuss the role of an independent judicial system in maintaining the rule of law. Following the presentation, committee members will have the opportunity to ask questions of the Retired Chief Justice. Questions will be limited to five minutes per member. As is customary for informational briefings, no public testimony will be accepted. Members of the public and the news media are encouraged to attend. The hearing notice, agenda, and additional meeting information, including the link to the live stream, are available here: HEARING NOTICE: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/hearingnotices/HEARING_JDC_09-15-26_INFO_.HTM This informational briefing is part of a series of informational briefings on the rule of law in relation to actions of the Trump Administration and how its decisions are impacting Hawaiʻi. Information about other briefings can be accessed on the Senate Judiciary Committee webpage HERE.

HILO, HAWAIʻI – Senate Vice President Lorraine R. Inouye (Senate District 1– Hilo, Pauka‘a, Papaikou, Pepe‘ekeo) announced the release of $250,000 in Capital Improvement Program (CIP) special funds to advance the Tropical AgTech Center at the Hilo Foreign-Trade Zone located at the old Hilo airport on Hawaiʻi Island. The funding will support the design and construction of the greenhouse nursery for tissue culture and help expand agricultural technology resources for Hawaiʻi Island farmers. The Tropical AgTech Center is being developed by the State of Hawaiʻi Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9 (FTZ9), a division of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Island Agricultural Partnership. The project is designed to strengthen small-farm profitability, increase food security and support the growth of high-wage agricultural technology jobs on Hawaiʻi Island. “I’m especially pleased to see this investment in the Hilo Foreign-Trade Zone. The Hilo site became part of Hawaiʻi’s Foreign-Trade Zone program during my time as Mayor of Hawaiʻi County, and to see how it has evolved many years later is especially rewarding. This investment will help provide our farmers with access to technology and resources that can strengthen their operations while supporting the future of agriculture on Hawaiʻi Island,” said Senator Inouye. “I want to thank Governor Green for releasing these funds. I would also like to thank my colleagues in the State Legislature, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and Congresswoman Jill Tokuda for their continued support of this project. Investments in agricultural technology can help strengthen our local farms, improve our food security and create new economic opportunities for Hawaiʻi Island.”

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI – Hawaiʻi State Senator Lorraine R. Inouye, Majority Whip, Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, and Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts, is urging federal officials to reject a proposal that could open federal waters off shore American Samoa to commercial deep-sea mineral mining, citing significant scientific uncertainty, potential irreversible environmental damage and the importance of protecting the Pacific Ocean for future generations. In an August 4 letter to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Senator Inouye expressed strong opposition to the agency’s Proposed Leasing Notice for commercial deep-sea mineral leasing offshore of American Samoa. In a statement, Senator Inouye said: “As someone with lifetime roots on Hawai‘i Island and a career dedicated to serving Hawai‘i’s rural communities in our island state, I understand that our relationship with the ocean is not just economic—it is cultural, ecological, and deeply personal. Our marine ecosystems sustain local fisheries, provide for the health and well-being of our families and communities, and define our island ways of life. The deep ocean is an essential part of that complex interconnected system, yet it remains one of the least understood environments on our planet. Scientists continue to warn that commercial deep-sea mining could cause irreversible damage by destroying deep-sea habitats, causing biodiversity loss, spreading sediment plumes, releasing heavy metal pollution into the marine environment, and contaminating fish, whales, sharks, and other marine life with toxic metals. Moving forward with commercial deep-sea mining before we fully understand its long-term impacts puts speculative and shortsighted profits ahead of the long-term health and survival of all our ocean-dependent communities. Hawai‘i has long been a leader in ocean stewardship because we recognize that the Pacific is both our home and our greatest shared responsibility. The priceless life-sustaining value of the deep ocean far outweighs the speculative benefits of commercial deep-sea mining. Given the significant scientific uncertainty and the risks of permanent environmental harm, Hawai‘i should stand firmly with other Pacific Island communities including American Samoa, in opposition to the commercialization of deep-sea mining and in support of lasting protections for our deep-ocean ecosystems. We can meet the growing demand for critical minerals through investments in recycling, innovation, and more responsible resource management and use, while safeguarding the ocean that has sustained Pacific Island communities for generations. Protecting the deep ocean reflects our responsibility to all the generations to come and upholds Hawai‘i’s enduring commitment to environmental stewardship, precautionary policymaking, and the conservation of our shared Pacific heritage.” In her letter, Senator Inouye urged BOEM to withdraw the Proposed Leasing Notice and refrain from issuing commercial leases unless the agency can demonstrate that deep-sea mining can proceed without causing lasting environmental, cultural or socioeconomic harm. The federal government announced a Proposed Leasing Notice on July 16, 2026, for a potential mineral lease sale in federal waters offshore American Samoa. The BOEM, an agency with the U.S. Department of the Interior, is proposing to hold the lease sale on November 19, 2026. Read Senator Inouye’s letter to BOEM here.

State legislators to meet to discuss location of new Oʻahu landfill Yahoo News; KHON2 Cameron Macedonio January 3, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Jan. 7, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature will hold a joint informational briefing between the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment to discuss the proposed Oʻahu landfill and its potential impacts. The Honolulu Department of Environmental Services and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply will provide presentations to the joint committees. “Protecting Hawaiʻi’s precious water supply is essential for sustaining life and preserving our environment,” said Rep. Nicole E. Lowen, chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection. “We aim to fully understand the implications and potential impacts of the proposed location for the new landfill.” Controversy looms over potential sites for Oahu landfill Senator Mike Gabbard, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, echoed the need to protect the environment. “Choosing the site of Oʻahu’s next landfill affects everyone island-wide, not only now, but for generations to come,” he said. “It’s important that we gather all the facts from the City and County, the Board of Water Supply and other experts before we make a final decision.” The meeting can be streamed live starting at 9 a.m. on Jan. 7 on YouTube .

Senate Judiciary Committee passes wealth asset tax bill for assets above $20M Maui Now N/A February 1, 2025 Original Article The Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Judiciary passed Senate Bill 313 in a hearing Thursday morning, which would implement a wealth asset tax for assets valued over $20 million. “SB 313 is a significant step towards creating a fairer, more equitable economy,” said Judiciary Committee Chair Karl Rhoads, who introduced the bill. “This legislation pushes for those with the greatest resources to contribute their fair share to the prosperity of our state. By moving this bill forward, we are tackling inequality head-on and working to build an economy that benefits all, especially those who have been left behind for far too long.” If the bill becomes law, individuals with assets worth more than $20 million would pay a state tax on the value of their assets above that amount. For example, if someone has $25 million in assets, they would pay the tax on the $5 million that exceeds the $20 million threshold. The tax rate would be 1%. The Committee adopted Chair Rhoads’ recommendation to assess the tax every three years. SB 313 would include assets like real estate, stocks, bonds, cash, art and collectibles, in the calculation. Those subject to the wealth asset tax would report their assets to the Department of Taxation and pay the tax at the same time they file their regular state income taxes. If passed, the bill as amended would be applied to taxes due after Dec. 31, 2029. Sen. Rhoads has introduced similar legislation in the past – SB 925 in 2023, and SB 2389 in 2022. Massachusetts has already implemented a similar state wealth tax, with the money collected aimed at funding transportation and education programs, and other states are considering similar legislation.

Kulāia Festival Kicks Off Canoe Races The Molokai Dispatch Léo Azambuja October 2, 2025 Original Article A large street celebration rocked Kaunakakai last Friday, welcoming the most important Hawaiian outrigger canoe races in Hawaii and honoring one of Molokai’s most beloved watermen. “Aloha mai kākou. Welcome to Kulāia, our 8th Annual Molokai Canoe Festivals Hoʻolauleʻa,” event organizer Lori-Lei Rawlins-Crivello said at the beginning of the festival. “Although we had missed a few years due to COVID, last year we came back very excited.” Hundreds of people attended the event taking the entire block of Ala Malama Avenue in front of the Molokai Public Library from 5 to 10 p.m. The event, she said, was all about perpetuating the culture and legacy of Molokai. As the Na Wahine O Ke Kai — the women’s canoe race across the Kaiwi Channel to Oahu — was scheduled to Sunday, Rawlins-Crivello said everyone was happy that there were two women crews representing Molokai. Live music and hula performances kept the large crowd entertained. The entire block was closed to traffic to accommodate nearly 40 vendors, including food stands, cultural booths and merchandise sellers. Rawlins-Crivello presented Mervin Dudoit Sr., “lovingly known as Uncle Merv,” with the 2025 Hoʻoilina Award, an honor that had been given in past years to Melvin Paoa Jr., Mac Poepoe, Dr. Noa Aluli, Eliza Kauila Poʻaha Reyes, Shirley Rawlins, Raquel Moana Dudoit and the island of Molokai itself. “Born and raised here, he has long embodied the spirit of a waterman. Whether paddling, fishing or caring for our ocean, Uncle Merv has lived in rhythm with the sea, and most importantly, he share that ‘ike with generations to come. His wisdom has touched not only his own ‘ohana but thousands of keiki across Molokai, Hawaii and beyond,” Rawlins-Crivello said. Uncle Merv was also a paddler, a coach and founder of the Mana‘e Canoe Club. He was a crewmember in the Molokai Canoe Club team that took second place overall in the Molokai Hoe race in 1967. State Sen. Lynn DeCoite presented a certificate from the Senate to Uncle Merv. “On behalf of the senate and the state Legislature, we honor Uncle Merv,” DeCoite said. “We love you, uncle, we recognize all your hard work.” She added that as the chair of the Senate’s Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Technology, it is her honor to continue sponsoring the event, “so we never forget who we are and where we came from.” Kulāia was inspired by the annual lā kulāia, dating back to the 1860s. Those were festivities honoring the Hawaiian Kingdom and king. Outrigger canoe races were part of those festivities. After the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893, the kulāia festivities shifted focus to just the outrigger canoe races. In an effort to revive the spirit of the festivals, a group of residents formed the Molokai Canoe Festivals committee a few years ago, and has since organized the event aimed at embracing this tradition and passing it on to future generations.