Senate Confirms Stephen Logan as Adjutant General, Mike Lambert as Director of Law Enforcement; HB 991 Passes Third Reading

The Hawaii Senate confirmed two gubernatorial nominees and approved a third-reading bill during a floor session.

Senators unanimously gave advice and consent to Major General Stephen Logan to serve as the Adjutant General of the State of Hawaii Department of Defense. Senator Elefante, citing Logan's long record of military and public service, told colleagues the nomineewas "exceptionally qualified for the role of adjutant general for the state of Hawaii." The confirmation was announced after the Senate recorded 23 ayes.

Separately, the Senate confirmed Major Mike Lambert as director of the Department of Law Enforcement following committee endorsement. Senator Elefante and others praised Lambert's law enforcement career and leadership; Senator Moriwaki credited Lambert with leadership in efforts that reduced large homeless encampments and expanded crisis-intervention training for officers. The Senate recorded 22 ayes for Lambert's confirmation.

On the legislative calendar, the Senate took third reading on House Bill 991, Senate Draft 1, relating to criminal history record checks. The bill passed on third reading by unanimous consent with 22 ayes recorded on the floor.

Why it matters: The adjutant general leads the statemilitary forces and plays a central role in disaster response and emergency management. The director of the Department of Law Enforcement oversees statewide law-enforcement functions described by senators as supporting agricultural-crime enforcement and extra enforcement in schools. Changes to criminal-history record-check rules under HB 991 could affect hiring and background-check procedures where implemented.

Key remarks and background

- Senator Elefante spoke in support of both nominees, outlining Stephen Logan's career progression through the Hawaii Army National Guard and law-enforcement leadership roles and describing Major Mike Lambert's decades of policing experience and work on narcotics, vice and temporary-shelter coordination.

- Senator Moriwaki detailed her experience working with Lambert, saying his leadership contributed to reducing large encampments and expanding temporary-shelter options that connect people to services.

- Several senators noted unanimous committee recommendations for the nominations from the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs before the floor votes.

Votes at a glance

- Confirmation: Major General Stephen Logan, Adjutant General, Department of Defense (Governor's Message GM644). Vote: 23 ayes; outcome: confirmed. Committee recommendation: unanimous support from the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs (as stated on the floor).

- Confirmation: Major Mike Lambert, Director, Department of Law Enforcement (Governor's Message GM645). Vote: 22 ayes; outcome: confirmed. Committee recommendation: unanimous support from the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs (as stated on the floor).

- Legislative action: House Bill 991, relating to criminal history record checks (third reading). Vote: 22 ayes; outcome: passed third reading on consent.

Other procedural items

- The Senate moved to adopt standing committee reports numbers 1210 to 1349 by motion; the motion was moved and seconded on the floor and carried without recorded objections.

What the Senate recorded on the floor

- Governor's message number 741 was filed as a withdrawal of a nomination to the Third Circuit.

Next steps and scheduling

Senate leaders closed the session with a motion to adjourn and announced the body would reconvene at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 24. The Sergeant at Arms was to escort the newly confirmed appointees to the floor after adjournment so members could congratulate them and take photos.