The recently retired Hawaiʻi Supreme Court chief justice is working with national legal advocacy groups, publishing articles and teaching a law class at UH Mānoa.

The vote was 20-5, with dissenting senators stating concerns over the nominee’s past political affiliation.

The Legislature needs to make decisions on all tax and spending bills by Friday in order to conduct final votes next week.

In his first public response to the critical report, Gov. Josh Green said the homeless program has been an extraordinary success and that the state auditor had taken an “unconscionable approach” in evaluating the effort.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke has continued to amend her campaign filings to include more previously unreported contributions.

Chair Karl Rhoads voted no in the 3-2 vote. Vladimir Devens now awaits a final vote from the full Senate.

The announcement comes a day after Luke’s lawyer acknowledged that she is a target in a bribery investigation. State Comptroller Keith Regan is named acting LG.

Besides his work for a powerful Hawaiʻi super PAC, lawmakers raised concerns about Vladimir Devens’ attendance at a controversial Honolulu cop’s retirement party.

The Senate is considering whether to confirm Vladimir Devens for the position of Supreme Court chief justice.