Serving on Senate committees gives me a vote on a wide range of issues that matter to our families and our future. I serve as a member on the following committees in the Hawaii State Senate:

EDUCATION - My work on the Education Committee is focused on restoring trust in Hawaiʻi’s public school system. Chronic teacher shortages, high absenteeism, and inconsistent classroom coverage are disrupting learning and driving families away from public schools. Parents are losing faith—and that is a failure the State cannot ignore. I advocate for practical solutions that support teacher recruitment and retention, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, improve attendance accountability, and ensure classrooms are staffed and stable. Our keiki deserve consistency, qualified educators, and a system that works for families—not one that asks them to accept dysfunction as normal.

HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS - On the Hawaiian Affairs Committee, I work to ensure the State honors its constitutional and trust obligations to Native Hawaiians. This includes transparency, responsible stewardship of lands and funds, and measurable progress toward outcomes, not promises, grounded in culture, history, and self-determination.

PUBLIC SAFETY & MILITARY AFFAIRS - Public safety begins with presence. Communities cannot feel safe when law enforcement is stretched thin or absent for long periods of time. On this committee, I focus on ensuring adequate law enforcement coverage, faster response times, and stronger coordination across agencies—especially in rural and high-need areas. At the same time, accountability matters. Public safety policies must protect communities while respecting civil liberties, due process, and the rights of law-abiding residents. Safety should never be reactive or performative—it must be reliable, visible, and trusted.

TRANSPORTATION - Waiʻanae is the only district in the state with one way in and one way out. This is unacceptable and poses serious public safety risks, especially during emergencies. Chronic congestion endangers families, students, and first responders. I am committed to opening emergency access roads and advocating for 24-hour use of Kolekole Pass. At the community level, I also push for immediate safety measures, lighted crosswalks, speed humps, and traffic-calming improvements, to slow drivers down and protect pedestrians in our neighborhoods.

WATER, LAND AND CULTURAL ARTS - This committee work centers on stewardship with accountability. Hawaiʻi has seen firsthand what happens when land is returned from military control without proper planning or cleanup, as demonstrated by the failed efforts to fully restore Kahoʻolawe. With the Makua Military Reservation lease set to expire in 2028, it is critical that the State prepares now to reclaim and responsibly manage the land. Water rights, land restoration, cultural access, and environmental responsibility must be addressed proactively, not deferred. The State must be ready to act, not react.