Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Corey Rosenlee, Democratic candidate for State House District 39, including Royal Kunia, Village Park, Honouliuli, Ho‘opili and a portion of Waipahu.

His opponents are Loren Doctolero, Danny de Gracia and Wayne Kaiwi.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job? And why do you want the job?

As a public school teacher and former president of the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, I have spent my career advocating for students, families and working people. Through organizational leadership and coalition-building, I have helped advance solutions that bring together education, housing, healthcare and economic fairness. I understand the challenges local families face because I have spent decades listening to communities and working to strengthen opportunities across Hawaiʻi.

What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

Affordability is the defining challenge facing Hawaiʻi families. When housing, food, child care, healthcare and utilities consume too much of a household budget, families struggle to build stability and remain in the communities they love. We must increase housing supply, raise wages, expand tax credits for working families, invest in affordable child care, and protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security for our kūpuna. Hawaiʻi should be a place where people can thrive, not just get by.

Here’s one question from your constituents: Do you support maintaining a monopoly for interisland shipping?

No. Essential services should be reliable, accountable, and responsive to the communities they serve. Recent shipping disruptions show the risks of relying on a single provider. Hawaiʻi should explore ways to increase competition where feasible and strengthen oversight to ensure consistent service to every island. My priority is making sure residents and businesses have dependable, affordable access to the goods and supplies they need.

What do you think were the most important bills to come out of the 2026 Legislature? What failed that should have passed? What passed that you wish had failed?

I was proud to see SB 2471 pass this year, making Hawaiʻi the first state to officially end Citizens United and dark money in local elections. I was also glad to see lawmakers approve a millionaire’s tax, but believe we must do more to raise revenue for essential public services. It’s time for the Legislature to pass family leave, a comprehensive response to homelessness, overdue transportation upgrades and free school meals for our keiki.

The 2026 session was also overshadowed by an issue of public trust: $35,000 in the brown paper bag given to an “influential” state lawmaker. What do you think the Legislature needs to do going forward to rebuild public confidence in state government?

Our democracy works best when elected officials are accountable to voters, not special interests. Hawaiʻi should strengthen public campaign financing to reduce the influence of large donors and expand opportunities for candidates from all backgrounds to run for office. We should also strengthen ethics oversight by establishing an independent process to identify conflicts of interest and ensure transparency, accountability and public trust in government decision-making.

In recent years, Hawai’i has experienced a series of damaging and dangerous weather events that have exposed weaknesses in our planning, preparation and response. What could you as a lawmaker do to help your district be better prepared?

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of disasters in Hawaiʻi, from wildfires and flooding to hurricanes and drought. As a lawmaker, I would support investments in resilient infrastructure, emergency preparedness, wildfire prevention and community-based response planning. We must also strengthen our energy, water and food systems so communities can withstand disruptions and recover quickly if and when disasters occur.

What would you do in office to address the here and now of climate change? And how would you address the costs to taxpayers, property owners and businesses to adapt?

Climate change is impacting Hawaiʻi through rising temperatures, stronger storms like the recent Kona lows, sea level rise, wildfires and threats to public health and food security. These impacts disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. We must invest in climate resilience, clean energy and clean transportation, and disaster preparedness, while protecting our natural resources. I also support promoting green job growth to hasten our transition to a clean economy.

Over 3,000 bills are introduced every session and there is always frantic horsetrading in the final days of session. Do you think there should be a limit on the number of bills introduced to enable more meaningful debate?

I don’t support further limiting the number of bills introduced each year. Instead, I believe we should engage in other reforms to strengthen the legislative process, including continuing livestreaming legislative proceedings and allowing remote testimony, which expands public participation. I also support stronger disclosure requirements, so paid lobbyists clearly identify whom they represent, helping the public better understand who is influencing government decisions.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are often in the dark about how much a piece of legislation will cost because the Aloha State is the only one in the nation that doesn’t require a fiscal analysis for bills. Should lawmakers be forced to put a realistic price tag on the legislation they introduce?

I support creating an Office of the Legislative Analyst to provide fiscal notes for bills. Estimates about the cost and benefit of proposals are rarely independently determined. Moreover, measures that carry social benefits, like diverting people from our prison system, would save significant resources, but aren’t viewed in light of their savings because we lack an office able to make those official determinations. This should be fixed, so we can weigh measures more thoughtfully.

There are no term limits for state legislators in Hawaiʻi, so incumbents tend to win. Would you seek to change that? Why or why not?

Legislative effectiveness depends on balancing fresh perspectives with experience and institutional knowledge. Complex policies often take years to advance and may require adjustments after implementation. While I support term limits for executive officials, I do not support legislative term limits. The better solution to political accountability is empowering voters through stronger public financing of elections and reducing barriers that prevent qualified candidates from running for office.

What would you do to help improve the state’s public school system?

Hawaiʻi’s keiki deserve world-class schools. As a longtime educator, I will fight to increase public school funding, raise teacher pay, reduce class sizes and repair aging facilities. I support moving beyond excessive standardized testing toward authentic learning and real-world problem-solving. I will also advocate for stronger special education services and expanded access to higher education, so every student has the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential.

Hawaiʻi is heavily reliant on tourism. What would you propose to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy?

Singapore, an island nation with limited resources, knew that in order to improve their economy, the best investment that it could make was to educate its people. Hawai’i should do the same. I support universal preschool, fully funding our public education system and joining other states who have made college tuition-free. When we invest in educational opportunities for our people, they will create a more prosperous and sustainable future for Hawai’i.

An estimated 60% of Hawaii residents are struggling to get by. It’s a problem that reaches far beyond low-income folks and into the middle class, which is disappearing. What would you do to help?

I support raising the minimum wage to a living wage, enacting paid family leave and expanding child care tax credits. We must also address Hawaiʻi’s housing crisis by discouraging property speculation and encouraging housing availability for local residents. Lawmakers should fully fund Hawaiian Home Lands commitments and demand increased transparency about military land usage, so we can reclaim unused military infrastructure for local communities.