Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to pass the Marketplace Fairness Act, legislation that would help level the playing field for Hawaii small businesses. Hirono, a cosponsor of the legislation, argued the bill would help local merchants compete with online retailers operating on the mainland. In her speech, Hirono discussed how this legislation would benefit local businesses like Kona Stories, a bookstore in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.