It’s tricky to tinker with taxes in an election year. Veteran observers are watching the House for clues about likely outcomes as lawmakers weigh the proposals.

Lawmakers are considering a number of bills that aim to play a role in the West Maui town’s recovery after the Aug. 8 fires.

Bills attached to specific interest groups often stand a higher chance of advancing because of their collective power.

Both county prosecutors and the Hawaii Public Defender’s Office urged lawmakers to reject the bill, which would have singled out a staff member at one agency.

Critics of the bill say it’s the latest in a series of moves to undermine or defund the panel, which has drawn attention to major problems and the need for reforms.

Measures include paid family leave, term limits and tax breaks for Hawaii. But other bills call for death to sex traffickers, teaching of fetal growth and open carry of handguns.

Supporters say it would be an important step toward gender equity since too many people aren’t able to buy menstrual products.

The measures aim to keep that effort going after the debris removal from the wildfires ends.

The term already isn’t being used by the Medical Examiner’s Office and most doctors, officials said. But advocates want to ban it officially.

The state is falling short by hundreds of millions of dollars each year to protect its environment, conservationists say. The new proposal would raise about $70 million annually.