A Special Note:The base document is from the Hawai`i State Government's Web site. It is being mirrored here at the Kekoa Family Page to facilite further linking to expand on information provided within the State of Hawai`i's original document. The State's document was last updated by: J. Hayashi, 7-Sep-1995. Aside from this note and additional readdressed hyper-linked markers, the body copy is unchanged. You can view the original now if you prefer. Go To Deparment Links
The two legislative chambers are cone-shaped, like volcanoes, symbolic of the geological origin of the Hawaiian Islands which rose upward from the sea floor over eons. The magnificent columns are representative of the graceful palm trees indicative of Hawaii and so important to the early Hawaiians as a source of food and building material. The capitol's airy, open style suits it ideally to the gentle Hawaiian climate. Here is a Capitol where the sun, rain, and tradewinds are free to enter. The great central court, open to the sun and rain, moon and stars, rises to the sky like the throat of one of the volcanoes that helped build this land.
In the deeply-carpeted legislative chambers which reflect the ocean floor, the visitor galleries are set in proximity to the deliberative functions, demonstrating the intimate sense of participation that islanders have always had with their government.
The mosaic design in the center of the rotunda, "Aquarius," was created by renown island artist Tadashi Sato and shows the changing colors and patterns of Hawaii's seas.
The chandeliers in the legislative chambers were designed by artist Otto Piene. "Moon, " in the Senate is made of polished aluminum and chambered nautilus shells; "Sun, " in the House of Representatives, of gold-plated copper and brass.
The tapestries hanging in the chambers, composed of warm earth colors in the House and cool sea and sky colors in the Senate were designed, by Ruthadell Anderson.
The executive offices are furnished and paneled with rich native woods from Hawaii's tropical rain forest.
Plantings within the building and landscaping of the grounds represent the lush flora of Hawaii.
Viewed together, the elements of the State Capitol represent the Hawaiian Islands as much as they represent our government.
The state government is divided into three separate and coequal branches - the legislative, executive, and judicial.
The Legislature establishes our laws and creates services that benefit the people of Hawaii. The executive branch executes those laws and administers the various services of the government. The judiciary interprets the laws and maintains a statewide system of justice.
In general, the state government provides those services that are statewide in nature, such as education, transportation networks, public health and welfare, and public works, and which require a uniformity of standards and regulations.
The responsibilities of the county governments include police and fire protection, refuse collection, maintenance of streets and parks, and other functions traditionally assigned to cities or towns on the mainland.
It is bicameral, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. In addition to considering all subjects for legislation - their major task - the members of the Legislature fact-find and conduct investigations on various matters, consider requests or petitions from the public, confirm certain officers appointed by the governor, participate in amending the Hawaii Constitution, and exercise quasi-judicial authority to punish people for certain offenses against the Legislature or its members.
The Senate consists of 25 members who are elected from the state's 25 single-member districts. The House of Representatives has 51 members, each from a separate district. Senators server four-year terms; representatives serve two-year terms.
Each body adopts its own rules, elects its own officers, and establishes its own committees. The presiding officer of the Senate is the president, while the speaker is the head of the House of Representatives. Both chair the meetings of their respective houses, maintain order in the chambers, manage the flow of business, clarify rules, and decide on questions of order.
The Legislature convenes each year at 10 a.m. on the third Wednesday of January for a regular session of up to 60 days. Special sessions, limited to 30 days, may be convened by the Legislature's presiding officers or the governor.
Legislative committees are named for the subject area over which they have responsibilities. Committees vary in size and number from year to year. Their names, too, may change. Committee members review programs, propose legislation, financial plans, and other matters within their scope. The findings and recommendations are reported to the whole house through committee reports for consideration.
Other types of legislative committees include: special committees which are temporarily appointed to consider and report on special matters referred to them; conference committees, appointed to reconcile the differences of each house on legislative measures requiring the approval of both houses; interim committees which function between regular sessions; and the committee of the whole.
The clerk of each house is the custodian of the records, routes communication and resolutions, pay bills, manages property, and has other support and fiscal responsibilities.
The sergeants-at-arms maintain order among the spectators, distribute supplies, supervise messengers, and perform various duties.
The Legislature has other offices under its administration.
The Legislative Auditor reviews the programs and performance of state and county government agencies, conducts investigations as directed by the Legislature, and reviews the various regulations of state agencies.
The State Ethics Commission is the mechanism through which problems of conflicting interest in public office are resolved.
The Legislative Reference Bureau drafts bills and provides research and reference services on legislative issues for the legislators. It maintains a reference library, legislative data processing program, and revises Hawaii's statutes to incorporate the changes made by the Legislature each year.
The Ombudsman investigates public complaints about the actions of officers or employees of an executive agency of the state or county governments.
The governor provides political, executive and community leadership for the people of Hawaii, plans for the development of the islands and their resources, and provides for the general well-being of the public. The governor establishes the broad goals of the state and determines the priorities for achieving these goals. He (or she) directs the preparation of the executive budget and submits that budget to the Legislature, along with recommendations for revenue producing measures and programs; the governor then executes the budget approved by the Legislature.
With the advice and consent of the Senate, the governor appoints the directors and the board and commissions members of the executive departments, except the Board of Education and the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; fills vacancies on the Supreme, Intermediate Appellate and Circuit Courts from a list of nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission; fills vacancies in the House of Representatives and certain ones in the Senate.
The lieutenant governor acts as governor when the latter is absent from the state or is unable to exercise and discharge the powers and duties of the office. The lieutenant governor serves as secretary of state for intergovernmental relations and is responsible for the administration of elections.
Each of the state's executive departments is under the direction of the governor and the direct supervision of a single executive, board or commission. The departments are:
There are also a number of agencies attached to the governor's office, including the offices of Affirmative Action, Children and Youth, Collective Bargaining, Information, International Relations, Planning, Volunteer Services, the Executive Office on Aging, and the Agricultural Coordinating Committee.
The appellate level consists of the Supreme Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the state and generally hears appeals from other courts. It may choose to review these cases or assign them to the Intermediate Court of Appeals.
The trial level consists of the Circuit Courts and the District Courts.
Circuit Courts are courts of general jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters. These courts have exclusive jurisdiction in criminal felony, probate, and guardianship cases, and in civil cases involving sums of more than $5,000. Civil Courts in civil matters where the contested amount is between $5,000 and $10,000. The Family Courts, established to deal exclusively with children and families, form a division of the Circuit Courts.
All jury trials are held in Circuit Courts.
District Courts are non-jury courts with limited jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters. They have exclusive jurisdiction in petty and criminal misdemeanors, traffic violations, and in civil cases involving sums less than $5,000.
The Land and Tax Appeal Courts are statewide courts of limited scope. The Land Court has original jurisdiction in matters involving illegal title to fee simple land and easements. The Tax Appeal Court has original jurisdiction in all disputes between the tax assessor and taxpayer.
The judiciary also includes other offices, among them a law library, driver education program, and the Traffic Violations Bureau.
Special organizations under the administration of the judicial branch and their responsibilities are listed below:
During the 13th and 14th centuries, waves of immigrants from Tahiti overwhelmed and absorbed the original people. Since the earliest Hawaiians were possibly somewhat smaller than the later immigrants, they may form the basis for the legends of the menehunes, who were pictured by the later Hawaiians as hardworking elves.
Captain James Cook, the great Pacific explorer, happened upon the islands during his third voyage in 1778. Hawaii's long isolation ended at that moment. Soon, King Kamehameha the Great embarked on his successful campaign to unite the islands into one kingdom. At about the same time, Hawaii assumed importance in the east-west fur trade and later as the center for the Pacific whaling industry. In 1820, the brig Thaddeus from Boston arrived with the first missionary families.
Change came at a rapid pace as both education and commerce assumed growing importance. The old Hawaiian culture disappeared rapidly under the onslaught of new ways, new peoples, and new diseases, to which the previously isolated Hawaiians were all too susceptible. Whaling and the provisioning of the whaling fleet brought new money to the island economy. At times, as many as 500 whaling ships wintered in Hawaiian ports, principally Lahaina and Honolulu.
In 1835, the first commercial production of sugar cane began and this crop took on ever-increasing economic importance, especially after the decline of the great whaling fleets. Native Hawaiians did not take kindly to the tedious labor of a plantation worker and, in any case, the native population had been seriously depleted by disease. Thus, there began the importation of labor from Asia and the Philippines and other areas of the world. It is this varied population that gave rise to the immense variety of Hawaii's present inhabitants.
Threatened constantly by European nations eager to add Hawaii to their empires, sugar planters and American businessmen began to seek annexation by the United State. This, too, would give them the advantages of a sugar market free of tariff duties. Finally, a treaty of reciprocity was negotiated in 1875 and this brought new prosperity to Hawaii. American wealth poured into the islands seeking investment.
Political control by Hawaiian royalty and the growing influence of Americans began to cause conflict. In 1889, there was an uprising of the native islanders against the constitution which had been forced on King Kalakaua two years earlier. The rebellion was suppressed.
In 1893, with Queen Liliuokalani on the throne, the Americans formed a Committee of Safety and declared the monarchy ended. In 1894, the Republic of Hawaii was established. On August 12, 1898, a treaty of annexation was negotiated with the United States and a formal transfer of sovereignty was made with the promise of eventual statehood. Hawaii became a territory of the United States in 1900.
The pattern of growth then began to accelerate even more rapidly. The U.S. Navy set up its giant Pacific headquarters at Pearl Harbor and the Army built a huge garrison at Schofield Barracks. Pineapple, other crops, cattle ranching, and tourism slowly began to take on greater importance in the island economy.
The attack on Pearl Harbor marked America's entry into World War II and Hawaii and its citizens played a major role in the conflict.
The postwar period saw many rapid changes with the descendants of plantation laborers rising to the highest prominent in business, labor, and government.
Hawaii proved eager to take on the full responsibilities of statehood. Under the leadership of Hawaii's last delegate to Congress, John A. Burns, the 86th Congress approved statehood and the bill was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on March 18, 1959. Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state of the union on August 21, 1959.
Monarch Queen or Reign Prince Consort Kamehameha I Kaahumanu 1795-1819 Kamehameha II Kamamalu 1819-1824 (Liholiho) Kamehameha III Hakaleleponi Kalama 1825-1854 (Kauikeaouli) Kamehameha IV Emma Kaleleonalani 1854-1863 (Alexander Liholiho) Kamehameha V Unmarried 1863-1872 (Lot Kamehameha) Lunalilo Unmarried 1873-1874 (William C. Lunalilo) Kalakaua Kapiolani 1874-1891 (David Kalakaua) Liliuokalani John O. Dominis 1891-1893 (Lydia Liliuokalani)
Sanford B. Dole 1900-1903 George B. Carter 1903-1907 Walter F. Frear 1907-1913 Lucius E. Pinkham 1913-1918 Charles J. McCarthy 1918-1921 Wallace R. Farrington 1921-1929 Lawrence McC. Judd 1929-1934 Joseph B. Poindexter 1934-1942 Ingram M. Stainback 1942-1951 Oren E. Long 1951-1953 Samuel W. King 1953-1957 William F. Quinn 1957-1962 Governor Quinn was the last territorial governor and the first elected governor of the state. John A. Burns 1962-1974 Governor Ariyoshi became acting governor in October 1973 when Governor Burns was ill. He was subsequently elected in late 1974. George R. Ariyoshi 1974-1986 John D. Waihee 1986-1994 Ben Cayetano 1994-present
Kamehameha the Great is perhaps the most beloved and illustrious of Hawaii's heroes.
So far as is known, no other leaders of his stature had appeared before his time. At the time of his birth, somewhere between 1752 and 1761, the normal state of the islands was that of war, with single islands and parts of island ruled by chiefs.
Kamehameha's achievement was the conquest of these islands and their unification under one government. Born on the island of Hawaii, he initially gained the rule of half his home island. He then used his position to launch successful invasions of Maui, Lanai, and Molokai, but then returned to Hawaii to protect his home district. By 1791, he ruled the entire island and completed his conquest by subduing Oahu - leaving only Kauai and Niihau outside his kingdom. In 1810, the king of those two islands ceded his lands to Kamehameha.
For the first time in history, the people of Hawaii were brought together under one leader, one government.
Establishing himself as king and surrounding himself with strong men, he ruled the people wisely. The Hawaiian kingdom lasted for nearly a century until Hawaii officially became a territory.
Born before the islands were known to the outside world, Kamehameha saw the coming of the discovery ships under Captain Cook in 1778. In his intercourse with foreigners, Kamehameha adopted those things he felt would help his people and forbade those he believed would harm them. He lived to see the monarchy he created become known and respected - even coveted - by powers throughout Europe and America.
His world-famous statue, cast by Thomas Gould in 1880, was unveiled by King Kalakaua in 1883. The statue in Honolulu is actually a duplicate; the original was lost at sea off the Falkland Islands during shipment. The original was eventually recovered and placed near Kamehameha's birthplace in Kohala. Another duplicate is in Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.
The story of her reign tells us much about the conflict that raged during the end of the 19th century. When she became queen, Liliuokalani was determined to rule the kingdom in her own right. She attempted to establish a new constitution, restoring the crown's control over the House of Nobles and limiting suffrage to actual subjects. She contended that the 1887 constitution had been forced on her predecessor, King Kalakaua.
Although the Hawaii Supreme Court upheld her contention, she was threatened by powerful people and forced to announce that she would not attempt to modify the constitution. Nevertheless, elements in the islands who favored Hawaii's annexation by the United States established a militia and a provisional government and took control by force.
The monarchy was overthrown. President Cleveland sent an envoy who concluded that the monarchy had indeed been overthrown - but the new government refused to step down. A new republic was thus established in 1894.
In 1895, Hawaiians loyal to Liliuokalani staged a revolt in an attempt to restore her to the throne. It was crushed and she was arrested and placed under detention for many months.
She resided at Washington Palace until her death in 1917. She is best known to the world as the composer of many beautiful songs, including "Aloha Oe."
Her bronze statue was created by artist Marianna Pineda.
Father Damien's voluntary sojourn among the lepers of Molokai, ministering to their physical and spiritual needs, has shown him to be one of the great-hearted humanitarians of all time.
His compassion for these sufferers - forcibly banished to a lonely island - is a profound example of devotion to one's fellow men. His death from leprosy (Hansen's disease) at the age of 49, after many years in the "living graveyard that was Molokai," continues to inspire men and women throughout the world in their fight to eradicate forever this disease.
Born in Belgium, Joseph entered the Sacred Hearts Congregation at Louvain in January 1859. When his brother, who had been ordered to join the Sacred Hearts Mission in Hawaii fell ill, Joseph begged to be allowed to take his brother's place.
He arrived in March 1864, was ordained to the priesthood in May, and shortly thereafter sent to the Big Island where he stayed until he moved to Molokai in May 1873. He was to stay at Kalaupapa until his death in 1889.
He once said, "This is my work in the world. Sooner or later I shall become a leper, but may it not be until I have exhausted my capabilities for good."
He was buried in the shade of the puhala tree under which, 16 years earlier, he had spent his first night on Molokai.
In 1936, at the request of the Belgian government, his body was exhumed and returned to his homeland. His statue, along with Kamehameha's, has been placed in Statuary Hall in our nation's Capitol. It was created by artist Marisol Escobar.
The seal is a modified version of the royal coat of arms of the Hawaiian kingdom. Where the royal seal had two warriors, the state seal has King Kamehameha the Great on one side and the Goddess of Liberty on the other holding the Hawaiian flag.
The regal crown was replaced by the sun and the year 1959, which was when Hawaii officially became a state. The star in the center of the shield replaced canoe paddles crossed against a sail.
The Phoenix below the shield is new. In other places, emblems or royalty were replaced by emblems symbolic of a new Hawaii.