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Senate adopts multiple confirmations and passes SB 849 on wildlife conservation; several items set for final reading
Summary
The Hawaii Senate adopted standing committee reports to confirm multiple gubernatorial nominees for education and judicial posts, passed Senate Bill 849 (wildlife conservation) on final reading, and gave one-day notice for final reading on two other bills; a senator registered opposition to several education nominees citing campaign donations.
The Hawaii State Senate on the floor adopted standing committee reports confirming a slate of gubernatorial nominees for education boards, judicial posts and other authorities, passed Senate Bill 849, House Draft 2 (relating to wildlife conservation) on final reading, and recorded motions to reconsider and agree that set one-day notice for final reading on two other bills.
Confirmations and committee adoptions - The Senate adopted standing committee reports to confirm nominees to the Hawaii State Board of Education, the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board, and the School Facilities Authority. Named nominees included Deanna DeAulier to the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board and Wesley Lowe and Sylvia Lee to the Hawaii State Board of Education; School Facilities Authority nominees named in committee remarks included Jan Iwasi, Robert (Bob) Davis, Shelly Paiva, Michael Unabasamy and Damian Kim. The Senate also adopted committee reports confirming additional gubernatorial appointees referenced on pages returned from the House (house communication numbers noted in the journal). The Senate confirmed these nominees by voice or unanimous consent as recorded in the transcript; where recorded votes were entered, the clerk announced the tallies.
- Judicial confirmations noted on the floor included Kainoa (spelled variably in the transcript) Jackson (appointed to the Third Circuit, circuit court judge) and Sonia H. Toma to the District Family Court of the Second Circuit (Maui County); both confirmations were recorded as 25 ayes.
Legislation - Senate Bill 849, House Draft 2 (relating to wildlife conservation), received final reading on consent and passed; the clerk recorded 25 ayes on final reading.
Motions and notices - The Senate moved to reconsider and agree to house amendments for SB 116 (Senate Draft 2) and SB 946 (Senate Draft 2). The floor granted one-day notice for final reading of SB 116 HD1 and SB 946 HD3; no final reading occurred during the session recorded in the transcript.
Opposition and floor comments - Senator Awa recorded opposition to several education-related gubernatorial messages (GM 586, GM 698, GM 780, GM 774 in his remarks) citing concerns about campaign donations to voting members; Senator Fevella recorded opposition to GM 689. Senator Wakai responded on the floor, defending nominees and noting they are volunteers who serve boards. These objections were entered on the record but did not block the confirmations as recorded in the transcript.
Procedural notes - Several confirmations and adoptions were taken under standing committee reports listed in the journal and were adopted on consent where no objections were raised. Where recorded roll calls were taken, the transcript records the clerk’s tally (for example, the confirmations recorded as 25 ayes). Additional committee reports and late introductions were recognized on the floor during the session.
Details not specified on the floor include effective start dates for appointments and specific contractual or budgetary changes related to the confirmations; where nominees’ prior experience was summarized, the committee reports provided the biographical detail cited on the floor.
