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Hawai‘i Supreme Court Upholds Housing Emergency Proclamation

9/12/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Hawai‘i Supreme Court upheld Gov. Josh Green's emergency proclamations to tackle the affordable housing shortage.
While previous proclamations exceeded his powers, the court confirmed the current housing emergency's legality.
A two-part test was introduced to assess emergency proclamations' legitimacy.
Legal experts see this as the first restriction on the governor's emergency powers in Hawai‘i.
Gov. Green highlighted the necessity for more affordable housing to reduce living costs.

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Story summary

The Hawai‘i Supreme Court upheld Gov. Josh Green's emergency proclamations to tackle the affordable housing shortage.
While previous proclamations exceeded his powers, the court confirmed the current housing emergency's legality.
A two-part test was introduced to assess emergency proclamations' legitimacy.
Legal experts see this as the first restriction on the governor's emergency powers in Hawai‘i.
Gov. Green highlighted the necessity for more affordable housing to reduce living costs.