Aloha

Aloha.

Our office is open, we have begun to work on constituent concerns and we are preparing for the upcoming legislative session. With great appreciation, I am honored to have been elected to represent the residents of our district in the Hawaii State Senate.

Since the district boundaries were amended in 2012, our Senate District 23 includes the many diverse communities from Kunia Camp, around the North and Windward Shores, all the way to Heeia and Ahuimanu. Ours is a spectacular district that includes most of the remaining agricultural lands on Oahu and prominent bays and estuaries from Waialua to Kaneohe Bay.

Without the support and love of my wife and children, I could never have been able to volunteer for so much community service over the past decade. I could never have made it to the House of Representatives and, now, the Senate without my family’s sacrifices. Mahalo to Liz for her tireless care for our family while continuing her full time teaching career. Mahalo to Liz, Jake and Janine for their good natured patience with my hectic schedule.

Helping me serve our district are two fantastic ladies: Kalei Keolanui is Office Manager and Maxx Phillips is Policy Advisor. Kalei has demonstrated her friendly, professional organizational skills for several Senators and, most recently, in the Governor’s office. Maxx will help us navigate issues and challenges with her perceptive analysis and creative problem solving skills. Together, our office should be a very effective team.

In addition to our two permanent staff members, we are looking for employees to help manage the Legislative Session work load for four months, beginning in January. Anyone interested in a session position should call Kalei immediately at 586-7330 and email a resume to K.Keolanui@capitol.hawaii.gov.

I am pleased to report that I have been chosen to serve on five committees that are vitally important to our district. I am the Vice-Chair of Agriculture and I will also serve on Water and Land, Health, Human Services and Housing, and Ways and Means.

Some of the priorities that we are already focusing on include thorough review of pesticide regulations and enforcement, water quality, watershed protection, long term traffic solution for Laniakea and Chuns, flood mitigation for windward communities, highway repairs and more.

We are beginning to research and formulate plans for possible legislation for the 2015 legislative session that begins in January. If you have suggestions or ideas to improve the quality of life of our residents, solve minor problems in the district or comprehensive solutions for larger issues, please feel free to share them with us at your earliest convenience.

If you can, please stop by and visit us at the Capitol in Room 217. Our phone number is 586-7330. My email address is SenRiviere@capitol.hawaii.gov. If you still use a fax, you can transmit to 586-7334. Or let’s talk closer to home, maybe the next time we pass in the street. Mahalo.