Hawaii Ranks Second Most Liberal Legislature in the Country
CPAC Host Releases Scores of Hawaii State Legislature
News Release from ACU, Oct 28, 2020
Alexandria, VA—The Hawaii Legislature qualified as the second most liberal state legislature in the country, according to the just-released ratings of the 2019 session published by The American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF), host of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
CLICK HERE for the scorecard and the full list of scores for Hawaii state lawmakers.
The Hawaii Legislature (21.23%) was the second most liberal state legislature in the country during the 2019 session. Only the members of the Massachusetts General Assembly (11.38%) were rated as voting more liberally.
“The cost of living under a liberal agenda has forced over 15,000 Hawaiians to move out of the state in the last three years,” said ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp. “Increases in taxes and business costs have led many families and businesses to relocate to more conservative states. We urge lawmakers to ease government burdens and help people keep the lives they built.”
Leadership of the legislature earned the following scores:
Senate President Ronald Kouchi 17%
Senate Vice President Michelle Kidani 21%
Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English 21%
Senate Minority Leader Kurt Fevella 28%
Speaker of the House Scott Saiki 18%
Vice Speaker of the House Mark Nakashima 19%
House Majority Leader Della Au Belatti 19%
House Minority Leader Gene Ward 36%
While still one of the most liberal in the country, the Hawaii Legislature slightly improved its overall conservative score compared to the previous session (10-point increase). That increase is due in part to several reforms the CLA rated positively: blocking improper asset forfeiture, deregulating motor vehicles, lifting labor mandates on handymen, and ensuring equal taxation of electric vehicles.
Each of those reforms either stalled in the political process or was vetoed by Governor Ige.
ACUF’s Ratings of Congress and Ratings of the States are initiatives of ACUF’s Center for Legislative Accountability (CLA). These ratings are designed to reflect how over 8,000 elected officials across the nation view the role of government while illustrating the differences between chambers of the legislature and revealing lawmakers’ positions on a wide variety of issues that directly affect citizens.
ACU Foundation reviewed each piece of legislation voted on in both chambers of the legislature to produce average scores of each chamber as well as individual scores for each sitting member.
Click Here to view the 2019 Ratings of Hawaii online and Click Here to visit our website.
* * * * *
ACU FOUNDATION'S Ratings of Hawaii 2019
From American Conservative Union, October, 2020
The American Conservative Union Foundation’s Center for Legislative Accountability is proud to present our Ratings of the Hawaii Legislature for 2019. Like our Ratings of Congress, which date back 48 years, ACU Foundation’s Ratings of the States are meant to reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual’s life. We begin with our philosophy (conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person) and then apply the correct purpose of government (its essential role is to defend Life, Liberty and Property). …
ACUF reviewed selected pieces of legislation voted on in both the Senate and House to produce average scores of each chamber as well as individual scores for each sitting member. A description of the selected bills may be seen HERE. …
The average score for Republican Hawaii representatives was 32%. For Democrats the average was 20%. The overall average for the Hawaii House was 21%—up from 14% in 2018. The highest-ranked Representative was Republican Rep Bob McDermott at 43%. The highest-ranked House Democrats were Reps Sam Kong and James Tokioka tied at 36%. The most liberal Representatives were Republican Rep Cynthia Thielen at 15% and Democratic Rep Nicole Lowen at 14%.
Hawaii’s lone Republican State Senator, Kurt Fevella, scored 28%. The overall average for the Hawaii Senate was 21% – up from 7% in 2018. The highest-ranked Senator was Democrat Gil Riviere at 31%.
Full Report: Hawaii Legislators’ Ratings 2019
Background: