Fifty Years of Legislative History Online

Big Mahalo to the Offices of the Chief Clerk, and the staff members of the Hawaii State Legislature, for putting together a unique resource: "Fifty Years of Legislative History: 1959 -2009".

Also available is a book of photo composites of the House of Representatives from 1959 to 2009, a listing of members from each session, and the memorabilia that was placed in the House time capsule to be opened fifty years from now. You may view it online here. The book was compiled in celebration of Hawaii's statehood, and it was made available online today.

A hard bound copy of the book is available for the public. If you would like information on obtaining a copy, please contact the Journal Division of the House Chief Clerk's Office at 808-586-6593.

Judge Reynaldo Graulty honored in floor presentation

In Photo (L-R bottom) Rep. Henry Aquino, Rep. Lynn Finnegan, Rep. Corinne Ching, the Honorable Judge Reynaldo Graulty, his wife Gigi Graulty, Rep. Kymberly Pine, Rep. Glenn Wakai, Rep. Michael Magaoay, Rep. Gilbert Keith-Agaran; (L-R top) Rep. Jerry Chang, Rep. Rida Cabanilla, Rep. Joey Manahan, Rep. Tom Brower

The House today congratulated the Honorable Judge Reynaldo Graulty on the occasion of his retirement as a Circuit Court Judge in a special floor presentation at the Hawaii State Capitol. Representatives Glenn Wakai and Tom Brower offered House Resolution 285 that honored the former senator and state representative.

Rep. Wakai gave a congratulatory speech to honor Judge Graulty:

There are very few people who can say they’ve worked in EVERY branch of government in Hawaii, but today’s honoree has distinguished himself in all three.

Colleagues, I would like to acknowledge the contributions by Reynaldo Graulty – former State Representative and Senator, former Insurance Commissioner, and former Circuit Court Judge.

Judge Graulty, retired from the bench on March 1 after spending 27 years serving the people of Hawaii.
As a young boy growing up in the Manila. He was the eldest of six children. His father was an American in the foreign service and his mother a Filipina.
It was his dream to one day live in America, so on his 18th birthday, he registered for the draft.
He left to study in the U.S., venturing to the State University of New York at Albany. He lived with relatives and would eventually graduate with a bachelor's degree in History and Political Science.

In 1972 he moved to Hawaii as an Infantry Officer at Schofield Barracks.
Following completion of his military service, Graulty used his GI Bill benefits to attend the University of Hawaii’s Richardson School of Law.

Judge Graulty was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982, representing the OASIS of Honolulu -- Salt Lake and Moanalua. He was re-elected in 19-84…

Despite his rising political career, Graulty left the House in 19-86 to spend more time with his family and concentrate on his newly created law practice. Graulty, Evangelista & Quiban – a firm specializing in labor law.

Graulty was once again bitten by an itch for public service and returned to this building in 1992.
He served in the Senate as the Chairman of Human Services committee and later judiciary chair.
One of his legislative legacies was creating a Blueprint for Change on how we can better address child abuse and neglect in this state.

Judge Graulty was appointed by Governor Cayetano as the Commissioner of the State Insurance Commission in 19-97.
As Insurance Commissioner he was able to reform our no-fault auto insurance law. At the time, Hawaii drivers were paying the second highest auto insurance premiums in the nation.
As a result of his work, drivers saw a drop of 20-percent on their auto insurance premiums, the largest reduction in the nation.
As Insurance Commissioner, he was also instrumental in HEMIC's early success.

In 1999, he was appointed and confirmed as a Circuit Court Judge. Early on, he took on one of the largest cases of government fraud in Honolulu history.
Judge Graulty presided over the Ewa Villages scandal where Michael Kahapea was convicted and sentenced for stealing $5.8 million from taxpayers.
He says the ultimate satisfaction of sitting on the bench came from the week in, week out, trials that lead to a safer community.

Now in retirement, he plans to take a trip to the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Alabama next month to play 10 rounds of golf in 6 days, then he will settle in to be a full time grandpa.

Over his illustrious career in government, Reynaldo Graulty made substantial contributions to state policy, protection of consumers, and the administration of justice.

Many of his initiatives will continue to better our community in the decades to come.

Today, Judge Reynaldo Graulty, we honor you for your outstanding contributions to the people of Hawaii.

Congratulations!!

Celebrating 50 years of Statehood

The 50th state of the United States of America turned 50 years old today. At the Hawaii State Capitol past governors and lawmakers who helped shape the foundation of our government and other dignitaries joined the 25th Legislature and the administration in commemorating this historic event.

President Eisenhower signed the Hawaii Admissions Act on March 18, 1959, and three months later the people of Hawaii voted 17 to 1 to accept statehood.

Members of the First Legislature of Hawaii House of Representatives were honored this afternoon at the Statehood Special Joint Session:

Thomas P. Gill. Mrs. Lois Gill and son, Mr. Eric Gill
Stanley I. Hara, Mrs. Diane Hara and son, Judge Glenn Hara
Walter M. Heen and Mrs. Norma Heen
George Koga and Mrs. Ruth Koga
Katsugo Miho, Mrs. Laura Miho, and daughter, Ms. Mariko Miho
Frederick W. Rolfing and Mrs. Rolfing

After the special session, four artifacts celebrating the State's 50th anniversary were placed in the chambers of the Capitol for public viewing. The artifacts included the original state seal, the pen President Eisenhower used to sign into law the Hawaii statehood bill, the phone used by Speaker Elmer Carvalho to receive a call from Territorial Governor William Quinn in Washington D.C. about the passage of the statehood bill by the president, and a log from a bonfire held in Honolulu to celebrate statehood. You can views these artifacts at the end of the slideshow.

Nifty to be Fifty

Photo: Hawaii delegate John A. Burns, who was later elected Governor, prepares to slice the statehood cake on Capitol Hill.

Today is Statehood Day, formerly Admissions Day, annually celebrated on the third Friday of August. On March 18, 1959, President Eisenhower signed the Admission Act, dissolving the Territory of Hawaii and establishing the State of Hawaii as the fiftieth state of the union.

Did you know that the Admission Act is also considered the first civil rights legislation enacted by Congress after World War II? That's because the Act extended all American citizen's rights to a territory with a non-white majority. In a couple of years, Hawaii will also celebrate its 50th anniversary of statehood. This year, the legislature passed HB1352, establishing a commission to plan for the historic event.

Photo: Honolulu Star Bulletin, August 19, 2006

Statehood is not without controversy. It was one year ago today that a conflict occured on the grounds of Iolani Palace when a statehood celebration was interrupted by native Hawaiian groups protesting the inappropriateness of recognizing statehood at the "scene of a crime". They referred to the stealing of the Hawaiian government in 1893 when Hawaii was annexed to the United States and the emprisonment of Queen Liliuokalani in her own room at the palace.

Hawaii songwriter Harry Owens even wrote a statehood song:

Hawaii is the fiftieth star in the U.S.A.

Aloha means how joyful we are

For at last we are brothers today

We know that you’ll be happy

When Hawaii falls in line

We sing a song of gladness as we

Join the forty-nine.