Civil Beat

Jarrett Keohokalole

The Sunshine Interview: Political Pundits Pontificate On The 2026 Elections Screenshot/2026

The Sunshine Interview: Political Pundits Pontificate On The 2026 Elections

Get in the swing of this year’s elections with these thoughts from three of our most quotable political experts.

Legislators Advance Bill To Limit Corporate Money In Hawaiʻi Elections Chad Blair/Civil Beat/2026

Legislators Advance Bill To Limit Corporate Money In Hawaiʻi Elections

The legislation would make Hawaiʻi one of the first states to sidestep the Citizens United U.S. Supreme Court case that allows unlimited corporate spending in local elections. 

Inspectors Let ‘Lightly Infested’ Goods Into State. Lawmakers Want It To End Thomas Heaton/Civil Beat/2023

Inspectors Let ‘Lightly Infested’ Goods Into State. Lawmakers Want It To End

Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole is probing the department for evidence of what he believes to be a ‘shadow policy’ of favoring industries the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity is in charge of regulating.

Make Big Oil Pay For Wrecking Hawaiʻi Home Insurance David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Make Big Oil Pay For Wrecking Hawaiʻi Home Insurance

Lawmakers in California and New York are advancing similar bills to hold polluters accountable.

State Lawmakers Want To Protect Hawaiʻi Kids From AI Chatbots Chad Blair/Civil Beat/2026

State Lawmakers Want To Protect Hawaiʻi Kids From AI Chatbots

Proposed legislation comes in response to threats by Trump and local kids exposed to harmful content and manipulation.

Why Hawai’i Tenants Can Be Left Out To Dry By The State Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Why Hawai’i Tenants Can Be Left Out To Dry By The State

Policymakers say it’s time to reassess a decades-old law that leaves the state’s consumer watchdog agency without teeth to protect tenants.

Are Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Just Rubber-Stamping Bills Every Session? Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Are Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Just Rubber-Stamping Bills Every Session?

A new research tool shows the vast majority of bills pass out of the Legislature with no opposition.

Data Dive: Campaign Donations Plummeted During Legislative Session David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Data Dive: Campaign Donations Plummeted During Legislative Session

Lobbyists are still the top donors, but they no longer can give lawmakers money while they’re in session.

Jarrett Keohokalole Talks About HECO ‘Sell-Out’ And Condo Insurance Rescue David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Jarrett Keohokalole Talks About HECO ‘Sell-Out’ And Condo Insurance Rescue

The Senate Commerce chair was in the middle of some of the Legislature’s most contentious issues.