Kaiali‘i Kahele

Kaiali‘i Kahele
Member of the Hawaii Senate
from the 1st district
Assumed office
February 17, 2016
Preceded by Gil Kahele
Personal details
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Residence Hilo, Hawaii

Kaiali‘i "Kai" Kahele is an American politician and son of Gil Kahele. He is a member of the Hawaii Senate from the 1st district, serving since 2016. Kahele has sponsored 203 bills.[1] He is a member of the Democratic Party.[2][3]

Early life and education

From his legislative website:

"Senator Kahele is a Native Hawaiian whose family comes from the small fishing village of Miloli‘i in South Kona. A product of Hawai‘i's public school system, he graduated from Hilo High School, attended Hawai‘i Community College, the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, and earned his degree in education from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 1998."[4]

Career

Kahele has a profession as a commercial pilot for Hawaiian Airlines. He serves in the Hawaii Air National Guard.

Career as State Senator

Kahele was appointed on 16 February 2016 to the position of State Senator for Hawaii District 1 following the death of his father, Gil Kahele, who held the seat at the time of his death. Kahele defeated Dennis "Fresh" Onishi in the August 2016 Democratic Primary 57% to 35% and then defeated Libertarian Kimberly Arianoff in the general election in November 2016.[5]

Kahele was forced to sell his home in Milolii after questions arose about his residency within Hawaii District 1.[6]

Kahele's most prominent political activity is associated with governance of Maunakea.[7] Kahele's highly controversial plan to reorganize governance of Maunakea including the removal of the University of Hawaii as the management agent as been strongly opposed both by supporters and opponents of astronomy activity on the mountain.[8] Kahele's legislation was voted down but revived through the use of the "gut and replace" legislative tactic.[9] Kahele was criticized for the use of this tactic as a means to avoid public debate; the tactic appeared to break Senate rules.[10]

Kahele has vowed to reform the UH system, declaring that the "system is broken."[11] He introduced SB 1161 in 2017 to freeze tuition until 2027. The bill did not advance.[12] Kahele introduced SB 2329 in 2018 calling for reduction in tuition at UH campuses.[13] The bill has been criticized for reducing the university's ability to manage its finances.[14]

Other legislative priorities for Kahele are Banyan Drive redevelopment and funding for rat-lungworm disease research.[15] HB 2014 for $1M in research funding related to rat lungworm disease at UH Hilo was introduced in the Hawaii House but has not advanced.[16]

Kahele has a 23% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union, which is among the highest for Democratic members of the Hawaii State Senate.[17]

In 2017, Kahele served as Vice Chair of the Education Committee, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, and member of Housing and Ways and Means Committees.

Election Districts on the Island of Hawaii

References

  1. ↑ "Kaiali'i Kahele". Open States. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Kaiali'i Kahele". Hawaii Legislature. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Kaiali'i Kahele". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Legislative Members". www.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  5. ↑ "Kaiali'i Kahele - Ballotpedia". Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  6. ↑ "Kahele divesting himself of controversial beach home - Hawaii Tribune-Herald". www.hawaiitribune-herald.com. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  7. ↑ "Community Presentations on the Future of Maunakea". Big Island Now | Community Presentations on the Future of Maunakea. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  8. ↑ "Who should govern Maunakea? - Hawaii Tribune-Herald". www.hawaiitribune-herald.com. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  9. ↑ "Second Gut-And-Replace Bill Concerning Mauna Kea Emerges". Big Island Video News. 2018-04-07. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  10. ↑ "Maunakea bill runs into yet more trouble - West Hawaii Today". www.westhawaiitoday.com. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  11. ↑ ""System Is Broken"". hilo.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  12. ↑ "SB 1161 - Hawaii 2017 Regular Session". Open States. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  13. ↑ "Measure Status". www.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  14. ↑ Mendoza, Jim. "Lawmakers take up proposal to put UH tuition hikes on ice". Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  15. ↑ "East Hawaii lawmakers outline legislative priorities - West Hawaii Today". www.westhawaiitoday.com. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  16. ↑ "HB 2104 - Hawaii 2018 Regular Session". Open States. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  17. ↑ "Ratings of Hawaii State Legislators" (PDF). The American Conservative Union.


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