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News Release from Hawaiʻi State Senate, Dec 15, 2025
HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI – Today, the Hawaiʻi State Senate announced its new leadership and committee assignments ahead of the Thirty-Third Legislature that opens on January 21, 2026.
In releasing the Senate Leadership and Committee Assignments for the upcoming 2026 Legislative Session, Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi (District 8 - Kaua'i, Ni'ihau) stated, “Due to Senator Aquino’s retirement, the Senate has realigned chairs and committee assignments for Senate members for the upcoming 2026 Legislative Session. Additionally, with current and impending federal budgetary cuts to the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii, the Senate has returned to combining the higher education and education committees to allow the Senate to address educational shortfalls across the educational spectrum, in the same manner that the Senate has done with its health and human services committees.”
Leadership and committee assignments of the 15 standing committees are as follows:
Leadership:
President: Ronald D. Kouchi
Vice President: Michelle N. Kidani
Majority Leader: Dru Mamo Kanuha
Majority Floor Leader: Glenn Wakai
Majority Assistant Leader: Lynn DeCoite
Majority Policy Leader: Les Ihara, Jr.
Majority Whip: Lorraine R. Inouye
Assistant Majority Whip: Troy N. Hashimoto
Assistant Majority Whip: Jarrett Keohokalole
Assistant Majority Whip: Chris Lee
Assistant Majority Whip: Herbert M. “Tim” Richards, III
Minority Leader: Brenton Awa
Minority Floor Leader: Samantha DeCorte
Assistant Minority Floor Leader: Kurt Fevella
Committee Assignments:
Agriculture and Environment (AEN)
Gabbard, Mike (Chair)
Richards, III, Herbert M. “Tim” (Vice Chair)
DeCoite, Lynn
Rhoads, Karl
Awa, Brenton
Commerce and Consumer Protection (CPN)
Keohokalole, Jarrett (Chair)
Fukunaga, Carol (Vice Chair)
Lamosao, Rachele
McKelvey, Angus L.K.
Awa, Brenton
Economic Development and Tourism (EDT)
DeCoite, Lynn (Chair)
Wakai, Glenn (Vice Chair)
Fukunaga, Carol
Kim, Donna Mercado
Fevella, Kurt
Education (EDU)
Kim, Donna Mercado (Chair)
Kidani, Michelle N. (Vice Chair)
Fukunaga, Carol
Hashimoto, Troy N.
DeCorte, Samantha
Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs (EIG)
Wakai, Glenn (Chair)
Chang, Stanley (Vice Chair)
DeCoite, Lynn
Richards, III, Herbert M. “Tim”
Fevella, Kurt
Government Operations (GVO)
McKelvey, Angus L.K. (Chair)
Gabbard, Mike (Vice Chair)
Hashimoto, Troy N.
Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
Awa, Brenton
Hawaiian Affairs (HWN)
Richards, III, Herbert M. “Tim” (Chair)
Lamosao, Rachele (Vice Chair)
Ihara, Jr., Les
Keohokalole, Jarrett
DeCorte, Samantha
Health and Human Services (HHS)
San Buenaventura, Joy A. (Chair)
Keohokalole, Jarrett (Vice Chair)
Kanuha, Dru Mamo
Lamosao, Rachele
Fevella, Kurt
Housing (HOU)
Chang, Stanley (Chair)
Hashimoto, Troy N. (Vice Chair)
Elefante, Brandon J.C.
Rhoads, Karl
Fevella, Kurt
Judiciary (JDC)
Rhoads, Karl (Chair)
Gabbard, Mike (Vice Chair)
Chang, Stanley
San Buenaventura, Joy A.
Awa, Brenton
Labor and Technology (LBT)
Elefante, Brandon J.C. (Chair)
Lamosao, Rachele (Vice Chair)
Ihara, Jr., Les
Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
Fevella, Kurt
Public Safety and Military Affairs (PSM)
Fukunaga, Carol (Chair)
Lee, Chris (Vice Chair)
Hashimoto, Troy N.
Inouye, Lorraine R.
DeCorte, Samantha
Transportation (TRS)
Inouye, Lorraine R. (Chair)
Elefante, Brandon J.C. (Vice Chair)
Kanuha, Dru Mamo
Lee, Chris
DeCorte, Samantha
Water, Land, Culture and the Arts (WLA)
Lee, Chris (Chair)
Inouye, Lorraine R. (Vice Chair)
Chang, Stanley
McKelvey, Angus L.K.
DeCorte, Samantha
Ways and Means (WAM)
Dela Cruz, Donovan M. (Chair)
Moriwaki, Sharon Y. (Vice Chair)
DeCoite, Lynn
Elefante, Brandon J.C.
Hashimoto, Troy N.
Inouye, Lorraine R.
Kanuha, Dru Mamo
Kidani, Michelle N.
Kim, Donna Mercado
Lee, Chris
Richards, III, Herbert M. “Tim”
Wakai, Glenn
Fevella, Kurt
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