Hawaiʻi State Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi was elected as a board member of the NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures during the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) 2024 Legislative Summit in Louisville, Ky. this week.
NCSL, a bipartisan organization serving the nation’s 7,386 legislators and more than 30,000 legislative staff, created the Foundation as a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation in 1982. Its sponsors—businesses, national associations, nonprofit organizations, and unions—work to improve the state legislative process and enhance NCSL's services to all legislatures.
In addition to helping lawmakers confront and solve critical issues through public-private dialogue, the Foundation supports the Center for Legislative Strengthening, the Leaders’ Center and other special projects of NCSL.
Senate President Kouchi has served as President of the Hawai’i State Senate since May 5, 2015. In the past, Senator Kouchi served as the Senate Majority Caucus Leader, Vice Chair for the committee on Tourism, and Vice Chair for the committee on Ways and Means. Prior to coming to the Senate, Senate President Kouchi served for twenty-two years as a Kaua‘i County Councilman, including twelve years as Council Chair. Senate President Kouchi was raised on the west side of Kaua‘i and attended Drake University.
“I am honored to serve on the NCSL Foundation Board. I look forward to working with my colleagues and peers to strengthen the legislative institution and by extension, our legislative processes at the state level,” says Senate President Kouchi.
The Foundation’s volunteer board of directors is composed of corporate, nonprofit and union executives, as well as state legislative leaders and senior legislative staff. The directors serve one-year terms, with the possibility of renewal for up to four years for the vice president’s position.