Who Has Worst Hawaii Senate Attendance?

Honolulu Civil Beat - April 13, 2012

By: Chad Blair

Sen. Malama Solomon missed eight of the first 45 Hawaii Senate floor sessions.

Senate President Shan Tsutsui of Maui and Oahu senator Les Ihara tied for second for worst attendance record, posting five absences each.
A Senate spokeswoman said Solomon, who represents Waimea, Hamakua and Hilo, spent four days "tending to a family matter," three days under a doctor's care for pneumonia and one day when "a meeting ran long."

Seven senators posted perfect floor attendance: Fellow Democrats Rosalyn Baker, Glenn Wakai, Clarence Nishihara, Donna Mercado Kim, Michelle Kidani and Mike Gabbard, and Republican Sam Slom.

Unlike the Hawaii House of Representatives, the Senate does not post its attendance records online.

House v. Senate
Friday marks Day 48 of the 60-day session, so we will have to see how final attendance stacks up after sine die.

But we can tell you that the Senate as a whole has thus far posted better attendance than the House.

Through Day 45, the day before Good Friday, senators missed a combined 46 days. During that same period, representatives missed a combined 70 days.
Of course, when you factor in that there are just 25 senators but 51 representatives, the proportionate edge goes to the House.

One other caveat: Four of the House absences were from Tom Okamura, who was appointed to fill Blake Oshiro's seat but stepped down early in the session for health reasons. His replacement, Heather Giugni, has missed just one day.