From West Hawaii Today:

Lawmakers are considering a bill that could move the balance of power in the state Legislature even more toward Oahu.

Last year, the state excluded nonresident military personnel and students from population counts when drafting district lines, helping the Big Island secure a fourth Senate seat.

Critics say that method of counting constituents, which is being challenged in U.S. District Court, robs those not counted of proper representation.

The move, the result of lawsuit in the state Supreme Court, prevented the state’s Reapportionment Commission from counting 42,332 active duty military personnel who listed another state as their usual residence and 53,115 military dependents as state residents. Another 13,320 students paying nonresident tuition were also removed from tallies. Read the full story.

And here’s the latest in other neighbor isle gov’t and politics:

KIUC board candidates face first questions of election season

Budget proposal would end Big Isle furloughs

Kauai Council wants TVR enforcement to step up

HELCO seeks geothermal bids

Planning panel reviews Kahana Sunset plans

Film about Japanese-American internment camps coming to Waimea

Hawaii Marine Sanctuary Foundation launched

$67K awarded in first round of Maui small town planning grants

—Chad Blair