State Senate President Robert Bunda said there will be a big change in Senate leadership, including a battle for the key finance committee. Senate president vows
leadership changesRobert Bunda says 2 senators are running
Lingle team shortchanged
for the chairmanship of Ways and Means
Special elections' procedure set
By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.comSen. Cal Kawamoto (D, Waipahu-Pearl City) and Sen. Brian Taniguchi (D, Manoa) are vying for the chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee, Bunda said. "There'll be some significant changes, you bet, but those two individuals are in the running," Bunda said.
"We have several individuals who are new to the Senate and with this new membership, there's going to be an organizational shakeup," he said.
State Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom said yesterday Senate leaders should consider putting Republicans in charge of committees if the Democratic majority has trouble finding chairmen.
Slom (R, Hawaii Kai) said members of his five-member GOP minority are interested, for example, in taking charge of the Senate Economic Development Committee.
Bunda said he does not see the Republican senators gaining any chairman positions. "They have leadership positions," Bunda said. "They're minority leaders."
The 25-member Senate and the 51-member House continue talks on the reorganization of their respective legislative bodies.
Slom said Taniguchi has been a fair, open and objective committee chairman, and supports his return. Other senators, however, are not commenting on the reorganization. Both the Senate majority and minority caucuses meet next week to continue talks.
"I'm just a freshman senator," said state Sen. Willie Espero (D, Ewa Beach) yesterday. "I just sit and listen."
Newly elected state Sen. Gary Hooser (D, Kauai-Niihau), who began meeting with people at the state Capitol yesterday, said he is interested in serving on the Education Committee. He believes it is the most important issue for state lawmakers and that emphasis on it will lead toward economic development.
House Speaker Calvin Say (D, Palolo) said there probably will not be any wholesale changes in the leadership of House committees.
Instead, he is more interested in filling the vacancies left by former state Rep. Lei Ahu Isa, head of the House Economic Development and Business Concerns Committee, and newly elected City Councilman Nestor Garcia, former head of the House Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee.
"I'm looking for continuity and stability whereby the chairs are much more competent in defending themselves on the particular issues of the hearings," Say said.
There likely will not be any challenges to Say as the leader of the House. Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa), House majority leader, said Say is hard-working and fair and has the respect of both sides of the chamber.
"I strongly believe Calvin has the support of the majority to continue to remain as House speaker," Oshiro said.
Star-Bulletin reporterGenevieve Suzuki contributed to this report.
