August 17, 2023
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi State Senate will convene a special session for the purpose of reviewing the judicial appointments of Erika E. Ireland, Robert J. Brown, and David M. Hayakawa to the District Court of the First Circuit; and Jordon J. Kimura to the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaiʻi. The First Circuit is comprised of the island of O‘ahu.
The process will begin with a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing chaired by Senator Karl Rhoads (District 13 - Dowsett Highlands, Pu‘unui, Nu‘uanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl, Pālama, Liliha, ʻIwilei, Chinatown, and Downtown) on Monday, August 21, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
The Senate will convene in a floor session at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, August 21, 2023. This will be followed by a separate decision-making meeting of the Judiciary Committee at 3:00 p.m., on the same day, at which time the Committee will make a recommendation on each appointment.
Final Senate votes on the appointments are expected on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 11:30 a.m.
View the hearing notice at: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/splsession2023a/Hearing_JDC_08-21-23_.pdf; or the “2023 First Special Session” link in the Session Info section of the Legislature's website (www.capitol.hawaii.gov). Members of the public who wish to testify should use the Legislature's website (www.capitol.hawaii.gov) to submit written testimony at least 24 hours
prior to the hearing. While submitting written testimony, testifiers will be prompted to indicate if they would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference. Additional information and details are on the Legislature's website.
The special session will only address the four pending judicial appointments.