Richard Wiens

2 days ago | civilbeat.org | Beth Fukumoto |Richard Wiens

Commentary Taking a calculator to the bills — and overriding issues — that are still at play this session. Taking a calculator to the bills — and overriding issues — that are still at play this session. Every legislative session in Hawaiʻi opens with lofty promises. This year was no exception.

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Richard Wiens

Hundreds of measures hurtle toward the black hole of conference committee that waits at the end of every ridiculously short session. Solution? Full-time Legislature. Here we go again. It’s that time of year when senators and representatives work together on hundreds of bills that have passed both chambers to resolve differences resulting from amendments. Sounds almost idyllic from a public policy perspective, right?

2 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Beth Fukumoto |Richard Wiens

Commentary Hawaiʻi can count on the federal government for very little with certainty right now. Hawaiʻi can count on the federal government for very little with certainty right now. I planned to write about how the Legislature will manage the ever-increasing possibility that President Donald Trump will dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

2 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Denby Fawcett |Richard Wiens

A rally at the State Capitol and surprise criticism from the master of ceremonies during an event honoring Vietnam veterans are examples of growing unrest. The anti-Trump movement has taken some new turns. As life gets grimmer, some of Donald Trumpʻs critics are getting funnier with protest signs that portray the president and Elon Musk as fools.

2 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Danny de Gracia |Richard Wiens

The preponderance of artificial intelligence raises serious ethical and legal questions about due diligence. Last year, the state Senate Transportation and Culture and the Arts Committee set off a firestorm when it heard Senate Bill 2314, which proposed to create a digital identification pilot project.