03-05-2025
Hawaii lawmakers end session, noting wins and future hurdles
HONOLULU (KHON2) — State House Speaker Nadine Nakamura said she was filled with gratitude, pride and relief as the 2025 legislative session came to a close. Lawmakers said they accomplished a lot over the past four months but acknowledged that tough decisions could still lie ahead.
Big changes coming to Wahiawa
The session ended Thursday, with many lawmakers calling it a success — including Republicans, despite none of their bills passing.
'We've been working in a bipartisan manner, and I'm hoping we can do more of that in the years to come,' said Rep. Lauren Cheape Matsumoto, R-House minority leader. 'It's been an honor to work with this new leadership team. Our caucus is grateful for all of the wonderful legislation we passed this year.'
Among the major bills passed was a green fee measure that increases the transient accommodations tax, or TAT, by 0.75%. The additional revenue will go toward protecting Hawaii's natural resources.
'This funding is essential because it's really going to help us steward our natural resources and make sure they're available for future residents and visitors for many years to come,' said Rep. Linda Ichiyama, D-House vice the rising threat of coconut rhinoceros beetles, coqui frogs and other invasive species, lawmakers passed a bill to restructure the state Department of Agriculture to include a biosecurity division capable of rapidly responding to potential threats.
'It will have a new deputy focusing only on biosecurity, so now we can have a really good organization with a lot more capacity to deal with this situation,' said Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, D-chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
Although the session is over, lawmakers noted that their work may not be finished for the year. They are preparing for potential federal budget cuts by setting aside an additional $200 million to support state agencies and up to $50 million for nonprofits. If necessary, legislators could reconvene for a special session to determine how to allocate those funds.
'We need to prioritize,' Nakamura said. 'We will have to take a look at the number of requests that come in, and we're going to have to prioritize.'
'We have our own way of doing things here in Hawaii,' said Rep. Sean Quinlan, D-House majority leader. 'We're going to be kind to each other and give each other grace, and ultimately, we are going to serve the people of Hawaii with aloha.'
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All bills that passed during the session now head to Gov. Josh Green for approval.
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