The Hawaii State Senate (Hawaiian: Ka 'Aha Kenekoa) is the upper house of the Hawaii State Legislature. It consists of twenty-five members elected from an equal number of constituent districts across the islands and is led by the President of the Senate, elected from the membership of the body, currently Ron Kouchi. The forerunner of the Hawaii Senate during the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii was the House of Nobles originated in 1840. In 1894, the Constitution of the Republic of Hawaii renamed the upper house the present senate. Senators are elected to four-year terms and are not subject to term limits.
Like most state legislatures in the United States, the Hawaii State Senate is a part-time body and senators often have active careers outside government. The lower house of the legislature is the Hawaii House of Representatives. The membership of the Senate also elects additional officers to include the Senate Vice President, Senate Chief Clerk, Assistant Chief Clerk, Senate Sergeant at Arms, and Assistant Sergeant at Arms. The Hawaii Senate convenes in the Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu.
According to Article III, section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution, a legislator's term begins on the day of the general election and ends the day of the general election if a new member is elected.
Composition The Democrats have controlled the chamber since 1963, and have held a supermajority since 1984.
From 2016 (when Sen. Sam Slom, Hawaii's sole Republican state Senator, was defeated in his bid for reelection) to 2018, the Democratic Party held all 25 seats in the Hawaii Senate. This made the Hawaii Senate the only state legislative chamber with no opposition members (this excludes the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature). It was the first time since 1980 (when both the Alabama Senate and Louisiana Senate were all-Democratic) that any state legislative chamber had been completely dominated by a single party.
22 3 Democratic Rep
AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacant Democratic Republican End of previous legislature (2024) 23 2 25 0 Begin (2025) 22 3 25 0 Latest voting share
Leadership Position Name Party District President of the Senate Ron Kouchi Democratic 8 Majority Leader Dru Kanuha Democratic 3 Minority Leader Brenton Awa Republican 23
Officers Position Name Chief Clerk Carol T. Taniguchi Assistant Chief Clerk Ainoa A. Naniole Sergeant-at-Arms Bienvenido C. Villaflor Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms C.M. Park Kaleiwahea
List of current members DistrictNameParty County(ies)Areas represented Start1Dem HawaiiHilo, Pauka‘a, Papaikou, Pepe‘ekeo20142DemPuna20203DemKona, Kaʻū, Volcano 20184DemHilo, Hāmākua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikōloa, Kona20225Dem MauiWailuku, Waihee, Kahului, Mauka, Wai'ehu20236DemWest and South Maui, Maalaea, Waikapu20227Dem Maui, KalawaoHāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Molokai, Lānai and Kahoolawe, Molokini20218Dem KauaʻiKauai, Niihau20109Dem HonoluluHawaii Kai, Āina Haina, Waiʻalae-Kāhala, Diamond Head, Kaimuki, Kapahulu201610DemKaimukī, Kapahulu, Pālolo, Maunalani Heights, St. Louis Heights, Mōʻiliʻili, Ala Wai mauka, Kapahulu, Moiliili, McCully199411DemMānoa, Makiki, Punchbowl, Papakōlea, Tantalus202212DemKakaako, Ala Moana, Waikīkī, McCully201813DemLiliha, Pālama, Iwilei, Nuʻuanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Downtown, Chinatown, Dowsett Heights, Pu'unui201614DemMoanalua, Aiea, Fort Shafter, Kalihi Valley, Red Hill, Kapalama200015DemKalihi, Māpunapuna, Airport, Salt Lake, Āliamanu, Foster Village, Hickam, Pearl Harbor, Aiea, Pearl City201016DemPearl City, Momilani, Pearlridge, ʻAiea, Royal Summit, ʻAiea Heights, Newtown, Waimalu, Hālawa, Pearl Harbor, Waiau, Pacific Palisades202217DemMililani Town, Mililani Mauka, Waipi'o Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village201018DemMililani Town, Waipiʻo Gentry, Crestview, Waikele, Village Park, Royal Kunia202619DemPearl City, Waipahu, West Loch Estates, Hono'ui'uli, Ho'opii202520RepʻEwa Beach, Ocean Pointe, ʻEwa by Gentry, Iroquois Point, ʻEwa Village201821DemKalaeloa, Fernandez Village, ʻEwa, Kapolei, Makakilo, 200622 RepHonokai Hale, Ko 'Olina, Nanakuli, Maili, Waianae, Makaha, Makua202423RepKane'ohe, Kahaluu thru Laie, Kahuku to Mokuleia, Schofield Barracks, Kunia Camp202224DemKāneohe, Kailua201825DemKailua, Waimānalo, Hawaii Kai2020
Capitol The Hawaiʻi State Senate has been meeting at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol in downtown Honolulu since March 15, 1969. Previous to the decision of Governor John A. Burns to build the new Capitol building, the Hawaiʻi State Senate met in ʻIolani Palace.
Past composition of the Senate
See also List of Hawaii state legislatures
References
External links
Hawaiʻi State Legislature Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives Hawaiʻi State Senate Hawaiʻi State Legislature Legislative Reference Bureau State Senate of Hawaiʻi at Project Vote Smart