Former US Rep. Colleen Hanabusa passed away March 5, and Gov. Josh Green has ordered flags flown at half-staff in her honor. PC: US House Office of Photography
Gov. Josh Green has ordered that the US and Hawaiʻi state flags be flown at half-staff at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol and all state offices and agencies to honor former US Rep. and Hawaiʻi Senate President Colleen Hanabusa. She died March 5.
Born and raised in Waiʻanae, Hanabusa was a graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees before receiving her law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law. She went on to work as a labor attorney before entering public office.
Hanabusa served the people of the Waiʻanae Coast and Leeward Oʻahu as a member of the Hawaiʻi State Senate from 1999 to 2010. There, she became Senate majority leader and later the first woman to serve as president of the State Senate. She later represented Hawaiʻi’s 1st Congressional District in the US House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2016 to 2019.
After her time in Congress, Hanabusa continued her service to the state, including leadership roles with the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board and ongoing work in the legal community.
“Jaime and I extend our deepest aloha and sympathy to the Hanabusa ʻohana and to all who loved Colleen,” Green said. “Colleen Hanabusa dedicated her life to serving the people of Hawaiʻi — from the Waiʻanae Coast she proudly called home, to the halls of the Hawaiʻi State Capitol and the United States Congress. She broke barriers as the first woman to serve as President of the Hawaiʻi State Senate and spent decades advocating for her community with strength, determination and heart. Her legacy of leadership and public service will continue to inspire generations to come.”
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Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke issued a statement on Hanabusa’s passing:
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, a dedicated public servant and formidable leader who devoted her life to serving our state,” Luke said.
“In 1998, we entered the Legislature together — Colleen in the Senate and I in the House — and we remained close throughout our years in public service. Proud of her Waiʻanae roots, she carried the voices of her community with her throughout her career. She made history in 2007 as the first woman to serve as President of the Hawaiʻi State Senate and later represented our state in Washington, D.C. as a member of Congress.
“Colleen was unwavering in her commitment to doing what she believed was best for the people of Hawaiʻi,” she said. “While she was known for her toughness and determination, those who knew her best also knew her as a sensitive and deeply caring person. I am grateful I was able to spend precious moments with her in her final days.
“She loved her husband, John, and their dogs, Frannie and Pupper, dearly. My heart is with them and all of Colleen’s loved ones during this difficult time,” Luke said.
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US Sen. Mazie Hirono said: “I am saddened to hear of the passing of my friend and former colleague Colleen Hanabusa. The first woman to lead either chamber of Hawaii’s state legislature, Colleen was a fierce advocate who had strong beliefs and fought for them with conviction. I had the privilege of working with Colleen in Congress, where together we worked to continue strengthening the trust relationship between the federal government and the Native Hawaiian community. I’m grateful to have known Colleen and to have worked alongside her, and I’m sending my aloha to her husband John, her family, and all who loved her.”
US Sen. Brian Schatz said: “Colleen Hanabusa brought toughness, integrity and deep aloha for Hawai‘i to everything she did. I was fortunate to see that firsthand when we served together in Congress. As the first woman to serve as president of the state Senate, she broke barriers and inspired a generation of local leaders. Her impact on our state, and her love for her Wai‘anae roots and for Hawai‘i will endure. I extend my deepest aloha to her ‘ohana and to all who had the pleasure to know and work with her.”
US Rep. Jill Tokuda remembered Hanabusa as a mentor, trailblazer and a fierce advocate for the people of Hawaiʻi.
“Colleen was a mentor and good friend,” Tokuda said. “When I was first elected to the Hawaiʻi State Senate, she became the very first woman to lead the body. As Senate president, she led with her heart and incomparable smarts. She stood by me during some of my toughest battles; as a young mother in the chamber, she never once questioned that I could both lead and nurture. In so many ways, she was a trailblazer and a fighter who left an indelible mark in Washington D.C., during her time in Congress. We are all better because of her leadership and service.”
State Senator and Congressional candidate Jarrett Keohokalole said he’s “profoundly saddened” by Hanabusa’s passing.
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“She was a dedicated public servant who devoted much of her life to serving Hawaiʻi,” he said. “Colleen Hanabusa always stood up for our state. In the Legislature, in Congress, and at home, she showed discipline, strength, and a strong sense of responsibility to those she served. She belonged to a generation of leaders who knew that representing Hawaiʻi meant being present, working hard, and always putting the people of these islands first.
“Her work and dedication to public service have left a lasting impact on me and on our state. Politics can be unpredictable, but some people leave a legacy that endures beyond any election or office. Colleen Hanabusa was one of those people.
“My thoughts and prayers are with her family, her loved ones, and everyone in Hawaiʻi who is mourning her loss. May she rest in aloha,” Keohokalole said.
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Senate President Ronald Kouchi said: “Colleen was a brilliant legislator and tireless advocate for the people of Hawaiʻi, and I was honored to call her a friend.”
House Speaker Nadine Nakamura added: “Colleen has inspired many, including myself, and was always so gracious in offering advice to the next generation of leaders.”
