Last month, Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi (District 8, Kaua'i, Ni'ihau) was elected as Chair of the Senate President’s Forum; a nonpartisan, nonideological, nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization of State Senate leaders. The position of Chair rotates between Democrats and Republicans, and Kouchi steps into his new role with the end of the term of Kentucky State Senate President Robert Stivers. Senate President Kouchi most recently served as the Forum’s treasurer.
“I am honored to have been chosen by my peers to serve as Chair of the Senate President’s Forum,” said Kouchi. “Serving in my new role allows me the opportunity to bring Hawai'i’s most pressing issues to the national stage’.
Senate President Kouchi’s election continues the positive progression of Hawaiʻi legislators serving in national leadership roles, as House Speaker Scott Saiki was previously president of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The Forum hosts three educational conferences each year, where legislative leaders meet to discuss and share their experiences in their positions, and gain insight from globally recognized experts.
“In my upcoming tenure as Chair, I hope to have one of the conferences be held here in Hawaiʻi,” said Kouchi.” We need to put a spotlight on Hawaiʻi, including its innovations and challenges, and bring it to the forefront of national politics.”
