Hawaii State Senate Announces New Committee Chairs

News Release from Hawaii State Senate  March 6, 2015

The Hawai‘i State Senate today announced a new line up of committees and committee chairs as part of its recent reorganization.

“This new alignment is consistent with our policy of making the best use of our members’ skills and interests,” said Senate President, Sen. Ronald Kouchi (Kaua‘i, Ni‘ihau). “We believe these assignments will make us more effective as a body moving forward.”

The following are the new committee assignments:

Consumer Protection (CPN)

• Chair:  Sen. Rosalyn Baker
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Michelle Kidani

Economic Development and Technology (EDT)

• Chair: Sen. Glenn Wakai
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Sam Slom

Education (EDU)

• Chair:  Sen. Michelle Kidani
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Breene Harimoto

Hawaiian Affairs (HWN)

• Chair:  Sen. Maile Shimabukuro
• Vice Chair:  Sen. J. Kalani English

Higher Education and the Arts (HEA)

• Chair:  Sen. Brian Taniguchi
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Gilbert Kahele

Housing (HSG)

• Chair:  Sen. Breene Harimoto
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Brickwood Galuteria

Judiciary and Labor (JDL)

• Chair:  Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Maile Shimabukuro

Public Safety, Government Operations and Military Affairs (PSM)

• Chair:  Sen. Clarence Nishihara
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Will Espero

Tourism (TSI)

• Chair:  Sen. Gilbert Kahele
• Vice Chair:  Sen. J. Kalani English

Transportation and Energy (TRE)

• Chair:  Sen. Lorraine Inouye
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Mike Gabbard

Water, Land and Agriculture (WLA)

• Chair:  Sen. Mike Gabbard
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Clarence Nishihara

Ways and Means (WAM)

• Chair:  Sen. Jill Tokuda
• Vice Chair:  Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz

In addition, Senate Leadership has assigned Sen. Laura Thielen the chair of the Committee on Health and the Environment (HEV) and Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland the chair and Sen. Donna Mercado Kim as Vice Chair of the Committee on Human Services (HMS). These assignments are awaiting confirmation.  Sen. Rosalyn Baker has been confirmed as Vice Chair of HEV.

The new confirmed committee assignments will take effect immediately.

As the Senate reorganizes, members of Senate leadership will not act as committee chairs. This division of duties allows the Senate to more broadly balance and distribute power within this chamber and better respond to the needs of our state. Senate leadership will be as follows:

• Senate President: Sen. Ronald Kouchi
• Senate Vice President: Sen. Will Espero
• Majority Leader: Sen. J. Kalani English
• Majority Floor Leader: Sen. Josh Green
• Majority Caucus Leader: Sen. Brickwood Galuteria
• Majority Whip: Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz