Senate Leadership and Committee Roles for 31st Legislature

News Release from Hawaii State Senate, November 5, 2020

UPDATE: New Ctte Assignments Effective Jan 21, 2021

The Hawaiʻi State Senate today announced its 2021 leadership and committee assignments ahead of the Thirty-First Legislature that opens on Jan. 20, 2021.

“With the election now over, it is important to quickly organize members of the Senate so that we can begin the important work of preparing for the upcoming legislative session,” said Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English. “We are confident that these new committee assignments are reflective of our practice of making the best use of our members’ skills and experiences.”

Leadership and members in the sixteen standing committees are:

Leadership

President:                                           Senator Ronald D. Kouchi
Vice President:                                   Senator Michelle N. Kidani
Majority Leader:                                Senator J. Kalani English
Majority Caucus Leader:                   Senator Dru Mamo Kanuha
Majority Policy Leader:                     Senator Les Ihara, Jr.
Minority Leader/Floor Leader:          Senator Kurt Fevella

Committee Assignments

Agriculture and Environment (AEN)

Gabbard, Mike (Chair)
Nishihara, Clarence (Vice Chair)
Kahele, Kaialiʻi **
Rhoads, Karl
Fevella, Kurt

Commerce and Consumer Protection (CPN)

Baker, Rosalyn H. (Chair)
Chang, Stanley (Vice Chair)
Misalucha, Bennette
Nishihara, Clarence
Riviere, Gil
San Buenaventura, Joy
Fevella, Kurt

Education (EDU)

Kidani, Michelle N. (Chair)
Kim, Donna Mercado (Vice Chair)
Dela Cruz, Donovan
Kanuha, Dru Mamo
Fevella, Kurt

Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism (EET)

Wakai, Glenn (Chair)
Misalucha, Bennette (Vice Chair)
Lee, Chris
Riviere, Gil
Fevella, Kurt

Government Operations (GVO)

Moriwaki, Sharon Y. (Chair)
Taniguchi, Brian T. (Vice Chair)
Chang, Stanley
Gabbard, Mike
Fevella, Kurt

Hawaiian Affairs (HWN)

Shimabukuro, Maile S. L. (Chair)
Kahele, Kaialiʻi ** (Vice Chair)
Ihara, Jr., Les
Keohokalole, Jarrett
Fevella, Kurt

Health (HTH)

Keohokalole, Jarrett (Chair)
Baker, Rosalyn (Vice Chair)
Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
San Buenaventura, Joy
Fevella, Kurt

Housing (HOU)

Chang, Stanley (Chair)
Kanuha, Dru Mamo (Vice Chair)
Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
Rhoads, Karl
Fevella, Kurt

Higher Education (HRE)

Kim, Donna Mercado (Chair)
Kidani, Michelle N. (Vice Chair)
Keith-Agaran, Gilbert S. C.
Wakai, Glenn
Fevella, Kurt

Human Services (HMS)

San Buenaventura, Joy (Chair)
Ihara, Jr., Les (Vice Chair)
Kahele, Kaialiʻi **
Misalucha, Bennette
Fevella, Kurt

Judiciary (JDC)

Rhoads, Karl (Chair)
Keohokalole, Jarrett (Vice Chair)
Gabbard, Mike
Kahele, Kaialiʻi **
Kim, Donna Mercado
Lee, Chris
Fevella, Kurt

Labor, Culture and Arts (LCA)

Taniguchi, Brian T. (Chair)
Ihara, Jr., Les (Vice Chair)
Chang, Stanley
Keohokalole, Jarrett
Fevella, Kurt

Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs (PSM)

Nishihara, Clarence K. (Chair)
English, J. Kalani (Vice Chair)
Baker, Rosalyn H.
Riviere, Gil
Fevella, Kurt

Transportation (TRS)

Lee, Chris (Chair)
Inouye, Lorraine R. (Vice Chair)
English, J. Kalani
Shimabukuro, Maile S. L.
Fevella, Kurt

Water and Land (WTL)

Inouye, Lorraine R. (Chair)
Keith-Agaran, Gilbert S.C. (Vice Chair)
Misalucha, Bennette
Riviere, Gil
Fevella, Kurt

Ways and Means (WAM)

Dela Cruz, Donovan M. (Chair)
Keith-Agaran, Gilbert S.C. (Vice Chair)
English, J. Kalani
Inouye, Lorraine R.
Kanuha, Dru Mamo
Kidani, Michelle N.
Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
Shimabukuro, Maile S. L.
Taniguchi, Brian T.
Wakai, Glenn
Fevella, Kurt

** Senator Kaialiʻi Kahele was recently elected to represent the 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. The process to fill his State Senate seat (as outlined in Hawaii Rev. Stat., §17-3) will begin immediately following his formal resignation.

CB: The chamber’s leaders and most committee chairs have retained their posts.