Opening day of the 2025 Hawaiʻi Legislature on January 15 was a festive affair, full of pomp and circumstance – as is to be expected.

Former Kaua`i Mayor now Councilmember Bernard Carvalho did a great job leading the audience in singing the Star Spangled Banner and Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī.

I watched the entire spectacle live from my home, enjoying the music, and watching the new Speaker of the House, Kaua`i ’s own Representative Nadine Nakamura, present her opening remarks.

She spoke well, telling a story from the heart about her mother who was also there in the chambers, no doubt overwhelmed with pride at her daughters achievement.

It was “local style” and offered a warm and uplifting message of hope and commitment to a better future for all.

As is often the case at these types of affairs, other than formally approving the already decided questions of who would be Speaker and hold various positions in the House, there was nothing of substance decided, discussed, or voted upon.

The one item many of us were waiting for, discussion and approval of the new House Rules, was deferred for two days until Friday January 17th.

Unfortunately, the new rules approved by the new House on that day, look a lot like the old rules passed by the old House, only they’re worse.

While there were one or two minor improvements (from a “good government” perspective), the House completely failed to address the most egregious elements, and instead gave more power to their own top leadership while taking away the publics right to even be in the room.

The House voted to support rules that:

*Removed a requirement for public notice and public decision-making by the House Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedure.

*Continue to allow a single individual committee chair, to kill legislative proposals without a public hearing, without a vote, and without a reason.

*There’s more, but not enough space here for the deep dive needed.

Speaker Nakamura appointed the House Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedure who offered passionate floor speeches in support of the new rules, claiming the changes increased transparency and accountability.

This same committee refused to provide public notice and/or hold a public meeting as required by the previous rules. They then totally eliminated the public notice requirement in the new rules.

The committee didn’t ask the public for their thoughts or suggestions. They didn’t solicit public input, nor respond to email from the public inquiring about the process, seeking to provide input, or possibly attend a committee meeting.

It’s difficult to understand how the new House Leadership can devolve so quickly, be so tone-deaf, and act so brazenly in its first 3 days of business.

The committee could have provided public notice, taken time to solicit public input, held a public meeting followed by a committee vote – and then make their recommendations.

They could have followed their own rules.

But they didn’t, because they don’t have to. Rules are for the little people. If leadership in the House or the Senate don’t want to follow their own rules, they simply ignore them and “woe be it” to any legislator who objects.

And it’s not just the rules they ignore, but also the Hawai’i Constitution itself which says unambiguously in Article III, Section 12 “Every meeting of a committee in either house or of a committee comprised of a member or members from both houses held for the purpose of making decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.”

To be clear, blame for this sad fiasco should not be placed only on the shoulders of Speaker Nakamura. She holds her title, her position, and her power via “majority support”- so her actions reflect the will of that majority.

It’s truly unfortunate that in this case, both the majority and the minority are comfortable just sitting on their hands as those in power grant themselves more power, and the already marginalized general public – gets pushed out even further.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks. I’m still hopeful, perhaps naively so, that true leadership in both the House and the Senate will step up to the task.

If not, the 2026 election cycle will be here soon enough.

Gary Hooser
8 years – Kaua`i County Council
8 years – Hawai’i State Senate – 4 as Majority Leader
Now…just doing what I can to make our world a better place.