‘By Request’ Gambling Bill got John Mizuno Ousted as Homeless Czar?

by Andrew Walden

Was John Mizuno lobbying for a gaming bill while on state time as director of the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions? 

A page added to the State House website, for the first time, provides the identities of some of the people and organizations behind Legislators’ mysterious ‘by request’ bills.

Did the list cost Mizuno his job?  He did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Check out the timing.

A House news release, January 16, 2025, announced changes to House Rules and included the following statement: 

By Request Bills -- Additionally, although not reflected in House Rule amendments, the House will post a list on its website of non-package bills introduced “by request” to disclose who the bill is being introduced on behalf of – if it is a constituent request, it will note “constituent” to protect individual privacy.

The page listing ‘by request’ House bills reads:

The following list contains bills introduced by individual House members and designated introduced "by request." It does not include measures introduced by the Speaker as part of a legislative package (ex: Governor, Judiciary, Hawaii State Association of Counties, etc.). "Requested by" information was provided by the House member introducing the bill. Requests by individual residents of a member's district are identified as "constituent request."

2025 is the first year for which House ‘by request’ identities have been revealed.  The Senate is still keeping mum.

Of the 23 bills listed, 13 are ‘constituent request’ with no additional identifying information and two are Senators’ ‘companion bills.’

The remaining eight bills include one with very interesting details:

HB 1466, an 82-page long bill ‘relating to social gaming,’ was introduced January 23, 2025, by Rep Terez Amato at the request of John Mizuno.  It died without hearings.

Akamai readers will immediately remember that Mizuno was ousted February 25, 2025, from his position as director of the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions. 

In its coverage, Spectrum News included this detail:

Mizuno’s departure comes three days after he posted a cryptic “public notice” on his Facebook account that read, “I wanted to share that I mistakenly placed vacation leave for my work. I have emailed/submitted a “late submission” (last week) to correct my vacation leave incorrect leave time. Fyi Star Advertiser.”

‘Last week,’ from Saturday February 22, 2025, would be no later than Sunday, February 16, 2025. 

The Internet Archive ‘Wayback Machine’ reveals the House ‘by request’ bills page was posted online sometime between January 31 and February 16, 2025. 

The implication is that Mizuno was caught lobbying while on the job.  Mizuno is not a Hawaii registered lobbyist. 

The HB1466 bill description reads:

Authorizes a 10-year renewable license for a social gaming facility in a special district designated for tourism. Allows admission and participation for adults. Non-residents shall be required to apply for guest membership. Establishes the Hawaii social gaming control commission to monitor and measure operational activities as well as collect and distribute tax revenue from social game operations. Imposes a consumption tax on every hand and every contest. Uses revenue for housing developments for currently houseless Native Hawaiian residents.

Here are the other seven bills:

HB 1403 ‘relating to geothermal energy exploration’ introduced by Rep Nicole Lowen at the request of Ann Chung, Waika Consulting. (HB1403 died without hearings--but convicted felon Roberta Cabral of Waika did get one of her other geothermal schemes all the way to conference committee where it died when the House declined to appoint conferees.)

HB 535 ‘liquor tax surcharge’ introduced by Rep Terez Amato at the request of Darlyn Scovell (died without hearings)

HB 1434 ‘relating to gaming’ introduced by House Speaker Nadine Nakamura at the request of Capitol Consultants (died without hearings)

HB 167 ‘relating to hazard pay’ introduced by Rep Jackson Sayama at the request of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (died without hearings)

HB 208 ‘relating to intoxicating liquor’ introduced by Rep Adrian Tam at the request of gay nightclub Scarlet Honolulu, which has been battling the Honolulu Liquor Commission. (deferred by CPC)

HB 154 ‘relating to the employment of attorneys by public charter schools’ introduced by Rep  Justin Woodson at the request of Hawaii Public Charter School Network. (died without hearings)

HB 901 ‘relating to public charter schools’ introduced by Rep Justin Woodson at the request of Hawaii Public Charter School Network. (Passed House, died in Senate without hearings).

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