Lawmakers in Hawaii fail to reach consensus, concluding 2025 legislative session amid discord
The final day of the 2025 legislative session wrapped up much like its 2023 counterpart: with a bang. As senators crossed the state Capitol, they joined hands with House members and belted out "Hawai'i Aloha." But the harmony didn't last long.
Republican infighting erupted among House Republicans over the latest version of Senate Bill 1434, a bill that advocates for state funding for "universal" immunization. Reps. David Alcos III and Garner Shimizu took the opportunity to discuss other immunization bills that didn't make it past this session.
Their fellow Republican, Rep. Kanani Souza, rose twice to defend SB 1434, a bill she voted for, and the House eventually approved. Shimizu, however, interrupted her, prompting laughter and a stern rebuke from Souza.
House Speaker Nadine Nakamura stepped in, striking her gavel to call for another recess to restore order. Amidst the chaos, House Majority Leader Sean Quinlan was seen wandering across the House floor talking to several members of the Republican caucus.
Following the dust-up, Chris Todd, the majority caucus leader, attempted to lighten the mood, only to be cut off by Nakamura before he could elaborate. Cue more laughter. Todd's comments remained unfinished.
Lauren Matsumoto, the minority leader, later remarked on the intensity of the floor debate: "One of the beautiful things about the floor is we can have debate and you can have different ideas...Maybe you can see it as refreshing that we do have a lot of dialogue happening."
Quinlan declined to elaborate on his conversation with the House Republicans, saying it was a "robust discussion about the House rules." Souza, on the other hand, did not mince words when discussing her fellow Republicans. "I found that to be a blatant lie," she told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser following Matsumoto's floor speech.
Meanwhile, the outbursts among Republican members provided a stark contrast to a day filled with photo opportunities, lei presentations, speeches, and the traditional singing of "Hawai'i Aloha." Important bills were indeed finalized, including SB 97, a bill that aims to increase penalties for excessive speeding offenses and impose a mandatory minimum jail sentence.
The bill passed both chambers and, once signed by Gov. Josh Green, will increase Hawaii's Transient Accommodation Tax (TAT) to 11% from 10.25%, potentially raising $90 million to $100 million annually. Green hailed the bill as "the first of its kind in the nation" and a "generational commitment to protect our 'aina."
A significant milestone was also reached with the approval of SB 1396, the "green fee" bill that aims to generate millions of dollars in new revenue to help Hawaii tackle climate change and wildfire risks. The bill, originally proposed by Green in 2023, will increase the TAT further to be distributed to various climate mitigation projects.
Throughout the session, the Senate was more courteous and cooperative compared to the House, with Sen. Samantha DeCorte, a freshman senator and one of three Republican senators, expressing her gratitude for the lessons she learned from her colleagues.
- The chaos on the House floor regarding SB 1434, a bill about state funding for "universal" immunization, highlighted the complex and political nature of policy-and-legislation, causing a stark contrast to the general-news of photo opportunities and speeches during the legislative session.
- While the Rep. Kanani Souza's fellow Republicans discussions centered around alternative immunization bills, the ensuing argument over SB 1434 revealed potential war-and-conflicts within the Republican caucus, significantly impacting the process of policy-and-legislation.
- As crime-and-justice related issues, such as excessive speeding offenses and penalties, received attention during the 2025 legislative session, key bills were also passed to address environmental concerns, including the "green fee" bill (SB 1396) that aims to raise millions in revenue to combat climate change and wildfire risks, demonstrating the importance of both tourism and the environment in Hawaii's policy landscape.
