Senate committee confirms five nominees to Hawaii 911 board; discussion centers on NextGen, training and fund ceiling

The Senate Committee on Government Operations on March 4, 2025, advised and consented to five gubernatorial nominees for the statewide 911 board, approving candidates who represent police communications centers, telecommunications companies and VoIP providers.

The committee confirmed Matthew Kurihara (Honolulu Police Department), Reed Mahuna (Hawaii Police Department), Rebecca Lieberman (Charter Communications/Spectrum, VoIP representative), Elliot Kalani Kaye (Kauai Police Department) and Francis Aloeta (Hawaiian Telcom). Committee members questioned nominees about NextGen 911 deployment, rural connectivity, staffing and potential conflicts of interest.

Why it matters: The board directs spending from the state’s 911 special fund and guides technical upgrades for public safety answering points (PSAPs). Committee members pressed nominees on training for dispatchers, how NextGen features handle location for VoIP and mobile calls, and whether the board should seek changes to the e911 special fund ceiling.

Matthew Kurihara, a captain in the Honolulu Police Department assigned to communications, said his priorities include coordinating PSAPs and supporting NextGen 911 upgrades. “If we have all this technology but we don't have the staff to manage, then it's not really making it,” Kurihara said, describing recruitment and retention as priorities for the board.

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