Hawaii House Announces Leadership, Committee Changes
The House has added two committees, and combined several others.
Like the Senate, there are few changes when it comes to leadership in the House.
House Speaker Scott Saiki, Majority Leader Della Au Bellatti, and House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke have kept their perches as the chamber’s leaders.
But there have been several changes in committee chairpersons, and the subject matter committees will take on in the next two years, according to a press release.
Rep. John Mizuno has been named vice speaker again. It’s a position he hasn’t held in several years. Rep. Mark Nakashima will chair a combined Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee.
Nakashima’s district includes parts of the Hamakua coast on the Big Island as well as Mauna Kea, the site of Native Hawaiian-led protests in 2019.
Rep. Ryan Yamane will take over as chair of a combined Health, Human Services and Homelessness Committee.
There are also two new committees: Government Reform, chaired by Rep. Angus McKelvey, and Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness, chaired by Rep. Linda Ichiyama.
It’s a sign that the House, like the Senate, plans to put great emphasis on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in the session set to start in January.
Rep. Nadine Nakamura will take over as Housing Committee Chair, which was held by former Rep. Tom Brower.
The House has not yet finalized committee memberships and who will serve as vice chairs.
Here’s a full list of House leadership:
Leadership
Speaker…………………………………………………………………………………… Scott K. Saiki
Vice Speaker……………………………………………………………………….. John M. Mizuno
Majority Leader …………………………………………………………………… Della Au Belatti
Majority Floor Leader……………………………………………………………… Dee Morikawa
Committee Chairs
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Agriculture………………………………………………………………………….. Mark J. Hashem
Consumer Protection and Commerce……………………………….. Aaron Ling Johanson
Corrections, Military, and Veterans …………………………………………… Takashi Ohno
Culture and Arts……………………………………………………………. Cedric Asuega Gates
Economic Development…………………………………………………………….. Sean Quinlan
Education………………………………………………………………………… Justin H. Woodson
Energy and Environmental Protection……………………………………. Nicole E. Lowen
Finance……………………………………………………………………………………… Sylvia Luke
Government Reform……………………………………………………. Angus L.K. McKelvey
Health, Human Services, and Homelessness…………………………….. Ryan I. Yamane
Higher Education and Technology ………………………………………… Gregg Takayama
Housing………………………………………………………………………… Nadine K. Nakamura
Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs………………………………………… Mark M. Nakashima
Labor and Tourism…………………………………………………………. Richard H.K. Onishi
Legislative Management……………………………………………………. Dale T. Kobayashi
Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness……………………………………….. Linda Ichiyama
Transportation………………………………………………………………….. Henry J.C. Aquino
Water and Land …………………………………………………………………… David A. Tarnas
