🗳️ TERM LIMITS FOR HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE

“Government should remain accountable and responsive to the people it serves.”

Hawaiʻi’s government should reflect the people it serves. Every resident deserves a Legislature that is responsive, accountable, and connected to the daily struggles of working families, from the high cost of housing and healthcare to education, transportation, and economic opportunity.

Yet many residents feel that long-standing political careers can lead to a lack of urgency, limited new ideas, and systems that are slow to change. When leadership remains the same for decades, it becomes harder for new voices, new perspectives, and new solutions to emerge.

If we want to keep local families in Hawaiʻi, we must ensure our government stays accountable, responsive, and open to new leadership.

Why this matters:

KEEPING LOCAL FAMILIES IN HAWAIʻI THROUGH FRESH LEADERSHIP AND REAL ACCOUNTABILITY

For years, discussions about legislative term limits in Hawaiʻi have repeatedly surfaced, with strong public support but little legislative progress. While proposals have been introduced in multiple sessions, they have consistently stalled before becoming law or reaching the ballot.

At the same time, many residents feel disconnected from their government and believe that entrenched political structures make meaningful reform more difficult. This has contributed to growing frustration and declining trust in the political process.

Public opinion polling has consistently shown strong support for term limits among Hawaiʻi residents, reflecting a desire for change, accountability, and leadership renewal.

MY TOP 5 PRIORITIES:

Establish Legislative Term Limits Through Constitutional Amendment: Support a constitutional amendment allowing voters to decide on implementing reasonable term limits for members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature.
Promote Leadership Renewal and New Voices in Government: Encourage regular leadership turnover to ensure new ideas, diverse perspectives, and community voices are consistently represented in policymaking.
Increase Accountability to Voters: Strengthen democratic accountability by ensuring that elected officials remain closely connected to their constituents' needs and priorities.
Reduce Entrenchment and Encourage Civic Participation: Create more opportunities for community members, young leaders, and working families to serve in public office.
Strengthen Trust in Government Through Structural Reform: Advance reforms that rebuild public confidence by making government more responsive, transparent, and reflective of the people it serves.

PROPOSALS:

Support establishing reasonable term limits for state legislators to encourage new leadership and fresh ideas.
Ensure that any term-limit policy includes protections for institutional knowledge and an effective governance transition.
Encourage greater civic participation by reducing barriers to new candidates running for office.
Promote transparency in how long-serving incumbents use influence in legislative processes.
Support public discussion and voter input on the structure and implementation of term limits in Hawaiʻi.

FACTS ABOUT TERM LIMITS IN HAWAIʻI:

Polling has shown that a strong majority of Hawaiʻi residents support term limits for state legislators.
Term limit proposals have been introduced in multiple legislative sessions but have repeatedly stalled in committee.
Hawaiʻi is one of the few states in the nation without legislative term limits.
The Hawaiʻi State Legislature currently allows unlimited consecutive terms for both House and Senate members.
Many states across the country have adopted term limits in various forms to encourage leadership turnover and broaden civic participation

MOVING FROM TALK TO ACTION:

Term limits are about strengthening democracy, not limiting it. They ensure that leadership remains connected to the people, that new ideas are given a chance, and that government does not become disconnected from the communities it represents.

I believe Hawaiʻi needs a government that is open to new leadership, accountable to the public, and focused on delivering results for working families. By allowing voters to decide on term limits, we can restore trust, encourage civic participation, and ensure that Hawaiʻi’s government continues to serve the people, not just those who have been in office the longest.