Submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai'i, Gubernatorial Nominee, KEITH AMEMIYA, for a term to expire 06-30-2031.

2026 Regular Session

Designates Keith Amemiya as a gubernatorial nominee to the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents for a fixed term ending June 30, 2031, for Senate confirmation.

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3934) with recommendation to Advise and Consent.

#boardofregentsoftheuniversityofhawai'i

Submitting for consideration and confirmation to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaiʻi, Gubernatorial Nominee, KEITH AMEMIYA, for a term to expire 06-30-2031

1) Purpose and intent

This measure approves the gubernatorial nomination of Keith Amemiya to the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents for a term ending June 30, 2031.

The bill is a formal instrument to present the nominee to the Hawaii State Senate for confirmation and to secure the Board’s governance alignment with the University of Hawaiʻi system.

2) Key provisions and changes

The bill designates Keith Amemiya as a gubernatorial nominee for the UH Board of Regents.

It specifies the term length: a fixed term ending on June 30, 2031.

Upon passage, the nominee would be submitted for consideration and required confirmation by the Hawaii Senate in accordance with statutory procedures for Board of Regents appointments.

The bill does not appear to alter the size of the Board, the qualifications for Regents (aside from the nomination), or the governing powers of the Board itself; it primarily facilitates the appointment process.

3) Who or what is affected

Primary beneficiary: University of Hawaiʻi system, through enhanced governance with a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of Regents.

Keith Amemiya: Nominee whose eligibility and confirmation are the focus of the bill.

The Hawaii Senate: Responsible for the advice and consent process as part of the confirmation.

UH administration, faculty, students, and stakeholders who rely on Board decisions (budget, policy, and governance) may experience changes only to the extent that Board composition affects oversight and strategic direction.

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction: GM 805 introduced for consideration in the 2026 session.

Committee action: Education (EDU) Committee conducted a public hearing (scheduled for April 17, 2026) and held an executive recommendation.

Committee recommendation: EDU Committee recommended ADVISE AND CONSENT to the nomination.

Voting on the recommendation: 5 in favor (Senators Kim, Kidani, Fukunaga, Hashimoto, DeCorte); no opposed votes; no abstentions or excused.

Report and scheduling: The EDU Committee reported the measure with Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3934 on April 28, 2026, indicating referral to the full chamber with a recommendation to Advise and Consent.

Next steps: Following the standard legislative process, the full senate would deliberate and vote on confirming the gubernatorial nominee.

5) Additional notes

The bill is procedural in nature, designed to formalize the appointment process for a UH Regent.

No fiscal impact details are provided in the summary; any budgetary or policy implications would typically emerge from Board deliberations and subsequent UH governance actions.

If you’d like, I can add a brief context on the role of UH Board of Regents or compare with past gubernatorial appointments to provide deeper understanding.

Bill