Hawaii Senate

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Coord Template:More citations needed Template:Infobox legislature The Hawaii State Senate (Hawaiian: Ka ‘Aha Kenekoa) is the upper house of the Hawaii State Legislature. It consists of twenty-five members elected from an equal number of constituent districts across the islands and is led by the President of the Senate, elected from the membership of the body, currently Ron Kouchi. The forerunner of the Hawaii Senate during the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii was the House of Nobles originated in 1840. In 1894, the Constitution of the Republic of Hawaii renamed the upper house the present senate. Senators are elected to four-year terms and are not subject to term limits.

Like most state legislatures in the United States, the Hawaii State Senate is a part-time body and senators often have active careers outside government. The lower house of the legislature is the Hawaii House of Representatives. The membership of the Senate also elects additional officers to include the Senate Vice President, Senate Chief Clerk, Assistant Chief Clerk, Senate Sergeant at Arms, and Assistant Sergeant at Arms. The Hawaii Senate convenes in the Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu.

According to Article III, section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution, a legislator's term begins on the day of the general election and ends the day of the general election if a new member is elected.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Composition

The Democrats have controlled the chamber since 1963, and have held a supermajority since 1984.

From 2016 (when Sen. Sam Slom, Hawaii's sole Republican state Senator, was defeated in his bid for reelection) to 2018, the Democratic Party held all 25 seats in the Hawaii Senate. This made the Hawaii Senate the only state legislative chamber with no opposition members (this excludes the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was the first time since 1980 (when both the Alabama Senate and Louisiana Senate were all-Democratic) that any state legislative chamber had been completely dominated by a single party.<ref>Cathy Bussewitz, If Democrat wins seat, Hawaii could be first state in U.S. with one-party rule Template:Webarchive, Associated Press (October 23, 2016).</ref>

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22 3
Democratic Rep
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
style="background-color:Template:Party color" | style="background-color:Template:Party color" |
Democratic Republican Vacant
End of previous legislature (2024) Template:Party shading/Democratic | 23 2 25 0
Begin (2025) Template:Party shading/Democratic | 22 3 25 0
Latest voting share Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Percentage Template:Percentage

Leadership

Position Name Party District
President of the Senate Ron Kouchi Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic 8
Majority Leader Dru Kanuha Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic 3
Minority Leader Brenton Awa Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican 23

Officers

Position Name
Chief Clerk Carol T. Taniguchi
Assistant Chief Clerk Ainoa A. Naniole
Sergeant-at-Arms Bienvenido C. Villaflor
Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms C.M. Park Kaleiwahea

List of current members

District Name Party County(ies) Areas Represented First Elected
1 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem [[Hawaii County, Hawaii|HawaiTemplate:Okinai]] Hilo, Pauka‘a, Papaikou, Pepe‘ekeo 2014Template:Efn
2 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Puna 2020Template:Efn
3 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Kona, Kaʻū, Volcano 2018
4 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Hilo, Hāmākua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikōloa, Kona 2022
5 Template:Sortname<ref group="Note">Democrat Gilbert Keith-Agaran resigned on October 31, 2023. State representative Troy Hashimoto was appointed on November 9, 2023 to fill the seat until a special election is held in November 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref></ref> || Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem

Maui Wailuku, [[Waihee-Waiehu, Hawaii|WaiheTemplate:Okinae]], Kahului, Mauka, Wai'ehu 2023Template:EfnTemplate:Efn
6 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem West and South Maui, Maalaea, Waikapu 2022Template:Efn
7 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Maui, Kalawao Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, MolokaTemplate:Okinai, LānaTemplate:Okinai and KahoTemplate:Okinaolawe, Molokini 2021Template:EfnTemplate:Efn
8 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Kauaʻi KauaTemplate:Okinai, NiTemplate:Okinaihau 2010Template:Efn
9 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Honolulu HawaiTemplate:Okinai Kai, Template:OkinaĀina Haina, Waiʻalae-Kāhala, Diamond Head, Kaimuki, Kapahulu 2016
10 Les Ihara Jr. Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Kaimukī, Kapahulu, Pālolo, Maunalani Heights, St. Louis Heights, Mōʻiliʻili, Ala Wai mauka, Kapahulu, Moiliili, McCully 1994Template:Efn
11 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Mānoa, Makiki, Punchbowl, Papakōlea, Tantalus 2022Template:Efn
12 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem KakaTemplate:Okinaako, Ala Moana, Waikīkī, McCully 2018
13 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Liliha, Pālama, Iwilei, Nuʻuanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Downtown, Chinatown, Dowsett Heights, Pu'unui 2016Template:Efn
14 Template:Sortname<ref group="Note">Became President of the Senate on December 28, 2012, after Shan Tsutsui was appointed by Governor Neil Abercrombie to be Lieutenant Governor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ousted as Senate President in unusual mid-year leadership reorganization on May 5, 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> First Filipina, but second Filipino American, Hawaiʻi Senate President<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref></ref> || Template:Party shading/Democratic| Dem || Moanalua, Template:OkinaAiea, Fort Shafter, Kalihi Valley, Red Hill, Kapalama

2000Template:Efn
15 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Kalihi, Māpunapuna, Airport, Salt Lake, Āliamanu, Foster Village, Hickam, Pearl Harbor, Aiea, Pearl City 2010Template:Efn
16 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Pearl City, Momilani, Pearlridge, ʻAiea, Royal Summit, ʻAiea Heights, Newtown, Waimalu, Hālawa, Pearl Harbor, Waiau, Pacific Palisades 2022
17 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Mililani Town, Mililani Mauka, Waipi'o Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village 2010
18 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Mililani Town, Waipiʻo Gentry, Crestview, Waikele, Village Park, Royal Kunia 2008
19 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Pearl City, Waipahu, West Loch Estates, Hono'ui'uli, Ho'opii 2022Template:Efn
20 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Republican | Rep ʻEwa Beach, Ocean Pointe, ʻEwa by Gentry, Iroquois Point, ʻEwa Village 2018
21 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Kalaeloa, Fernandez Village, ʻEwa, Kapolei, Makakilo, 2006
22 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Republican | Rep Honokai Hale, Ko 'Olina, Nanakuli, Maili, Waianae, Makaha, Makua 2024
23 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Republican | Rep Kane'ohe, Kahaluu thru Laie, Kahuku to Mokuleia, Schofield Barracks, Kunia Camp 2022
24 Template:Sortname Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem KāneTemplate:Okinaohe, Kailua 2018Template:Efn
25 Chris Lee Template:Party shading/Democratic | Dem Kailua, Waimānalo, HawaiTemplate:Okinai Kai 2020Template:Efn

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File:Entrance to the Hawaii State Senate chamber, USA.jpg
Entrance to the Hawaii State Senate chamber

Capitol

The Hawaiʻi State Senate has been meeting at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol in downtown Honolulu since March 15, 1969. Previous to the decision of Governor John A. Burns to build the new Capitol building, the Hawaiʻi State Senate met in ʻIolani Palace.

Past composition of the Senate

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See also

References

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