Hawaii lawmakers return with vows to help working families

By AUDREY McAVOY
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Lawmakers opened a new session of the Hawaii State Legislature with proposals to provide more tax relief to working families and impose fees on travelers using popular state parks and trails. Lawmakers also vowed to hold hearings to ethics reform bills after two former lawmakers last year pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in office in exchange for influencing legislation. House Speaker Scott Saiki said he favored expanding the earned income tax credit, which he estimated would help about 100,000 working households. Gov. Josh Green told reporters he supports Saiki “thousand percent” on the tax credit and would propose his own tax relief plan next Monday.