Hawaii's Lt. Gov. Steps Away Amid Investigation

0:00It's April 24th. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. Hawaii's Lieutenant Governor, Sylvia Luke. Just a now she's stepping away on an indefinite, unpaid leave amid a serious state investigation. She's named a target over $35,000, funneled to a key lawmaker back in 2022. This move came right after she met with Governor Josh Green, who pushed for her to pause duties so the government stays focused. The probe ties back to a bigger federal bribery scandal involving state lawmakers and county officials. Luke's team confirmed she's under scrutiny by the Attorney General's Special Division, and she's skipping all interviews for now. Governor Green quickly tapped Keith Regan, the state controller, to act as the lieutenant governor while keeping his day job. Regan brings experience from the Hawaii Tourism Authority in Maui County, where he managed departments during that massive bribery case, but he stayed. Clear of any charges. Luke dropped her reelection bid last weekend and will keep her security detail since she's

1:00still officially in the role. Her big push, the ReadyK Key Program for Universal Preschool by 2032, now faces questions. She secured $200 million in 2022, plus another $120 million since, building 81 classrooms already. With 26 more coming this summer, advocates worry about losing momentum on early education, but the school facilities authority keeps building, and lawmakers have a mandate to hit that. Goal in six years. With Regan stepping in, continuity might hold, but funding fights ahead could test how deep the commitment runs.