HAWAIʻI STATE SENATE ANNOUNCES FINALIZED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE 33RD LEGISLATURE
- Hawaiʻi State Senate
- Dec 15, 2025
- 3 min read
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 |