Dennis Arakaki
From dKosopedia
Dennis Arakaki, is a former 10-term state legislator and member of the Democratic Party, who represented the 30th Representative District in the Hawaii State House of Representatives of the Hawaii State Legislature. The 30th District includes the areas of Alewa Heights, Kalihi Valley and Fort Shafter on the island of Oahu, in the state of Hawaii. Arakaki was a member of the House from 1986 to 2006, serving as the majority floor leader and as chairman of several house committees including the Health Committee. Arakaki announced his retirement from the legislature after the 2006 session.
In early 2009, Arakaki was hired as the interim executive director of the Hawaii Family Forum[1] and the Hawaii Catholic Conference[2] for six months, to cover the 2009 state legislative session which began on Jan. 21, 2009. Arakaki replaces the previous executive director of Hawaii Family Forum/Hawaii Catholic Conference, attorney Ms. Kelly Rosati who left the islands in March, 2008 for a directorship at Focus on the Family, an evangelical-based organization in Colorado Springs.
Arakaki now represents the two organizations at the state capitol and will lobby on their behalf. "The Hawaii Family Forum is a pro-family educational and advocacy group that is made up of evangelical churches and the Hawaii Catholic Conference is the public policy voice of the Diocese of Honolulu. They work as partners on many public issues."
In March, 2009, Democrat Arakaki's organizing led to the defeat of House Bill 444 which would have extended equal legal benefits to homosexual couples and their children in Hawai`i later writing, "The Hawaii Family Forum was privileged to coordinate efforts to educate the public and to oppose the passage of the bill. It took this controversial and highly emotional issue to unify much of the body of Christ and to motivate many from the community to become involved in affecting legislation. It was surprising to see how many participants were calling or writing to their senators and representatives for the first time and many were unaware of the legislative process on how laws are created. Thank you for standing with us!" Complete text here [3] Honolulu Advertiser story with Arakaki statements here[4]
Arakaki said he is proud that he never lost an election in his district of Kalihi Valley, Kapalama Heights and Moanalua when he announced at the close of the 2006 session that he would bow out of politics to spend more time helping abused and neglected children and youth here, in the Philippines and other countries.
Arakaki was born on October 18, 1947 in Honolulu. He is a graduate of Farrington High School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
External Links
- Doctor-assisted suicide bill fades at Legislature (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 2-6-05)
- Stem cell research policy delayed (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 2-18-05)
- ‘Death with dignity’ could find impetus elsewhere THE ISSUE: Physician-assisted suicide is being considered by California and Vermont legislatures and is before the U.S. Supreme Court. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 3-8-05)
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