Three State lawmakers will discuss the economic effects of COVID-19 in Hawaii on the next Insights on PBS Hawaii, airing at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 7.

Guests will be House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke,  Hawaiʻi Island Representative Richard Onishi of the House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness, and State Senate Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz, who is also chairing the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19.

At the start of the year, lawmakers had high hopes of addressing Hawaiʻi’s affordable housing crisis, increasing the minimum wage and creating tax breaks for the working class. Early education for pre-K students also was on the wish list. Then the new coronavirus took over. 

Now the focus is on how to recover from an economic meltdown while keeping Hawaiʻi’s people healthy. 

The program airs Thursday, May 7 at 8 p.m. on PBS Hawaii (Channel 10 on many Big Island cable systems) , and is also available at the pbshawaii.org web site and on the PBS Hawaii Facebook page.

Daryl Huff of Hawaii News Now is scheduled to moderate and will ask audience questions, which may be submitted via email to insights@pbshawaii.org or by calling 808-462-5000  or 800-238-4847

Photo is Sen. Donovan delaCruz, Chair Senate Special Committee on COVID-19