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

The following comes from Angela Melody Young, Republican candidate for state House District 30 that includes Kalihi, Kalihi Kai and Keʻehi Lagoon.

She is running against Republican candidate Amanda Ybanez in the Aug. 8 primary election.

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?

I’ve lived here for 30+ years after immigrating from China. Many moms, students, families and businesses are my friends or people I have gotten to know. We need someone who knows the reality of learning a new language, the struggles of working class families and someone who is not unfamiliar with juggling jobs, balancing the cost of living and the need for quality educational programs in Hawaiʻi so we can sustain a future workforce with thriving economic opportunities for generations to come.

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?

Public safety, crime and homelessness are the most challenging interconnected issues our district has to face with real solutions. With the number of growing homeless encampments and more gangsters filling our streets, we need solutions now. In the first zix months of being elected, I’d gather the directors and executive teams of nonprofits, ministries & businesses that I’ve built professional networks with to conduct Neighborhood Security Watch, homeless outreach and to clean up our community.

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

I support Young Brothers, Matson and Pasha as major shipment companies. I’d support another company to compete against Young Brothers. Young Brothers is the regulated monopoly by the Public Utilities Commission for most interisland service. Matson and Pasha compete in the Hawaiʻi-to-mainland market. If there are other companies that want to compete in interisland market to be considered an essential utility service, it’d be a good idea to legislate authority to mandate the PUC to review applicants who demonstrate operational feasibility.

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?

The most important bills passed in 2026 include Citizens United, due process for immigration rights, the film credit increase to support our creative industries and the new tax credit creating a new threshold to tax millionaires. Bills I think should have had a stronger opportunity to get enacted but were deferred include crimes against seniors (House Bill 963), compassionate release (House Bill 1628) and the trap and neuter program for cats.

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?

I don’t think integrity is a value or a character trait you can legislate into people. Wasting time chasing down the offenders is counterproductive. I don’t think the Legislature should allocate more resources for a wild goose chase. Policies should focus on moving forward to prevent fraud. Candidates who choose to be transparent and to uphold the values of clean elections can choose public financing like I did to show the community the race is not about money.

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?

I have worked with public safety teams and I have attended many meetings to get trained in emergency response with Department of Community Services, Department of Emergency Management, CERENE, and Kapiolani Community College to learn about what we can do to help vulnerable populations such as people with disabilities and seniors in case of emergencies. If elected, I will consult with the directors and then legislate workgroups to get emergency resources for our community.

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 a real threat to our islands. I’ve been teaching my students in art competitions about sustainability and environmental protection. I will work with businesses, the permitting offices, developers and other stakeholders to raise awareness about green infrastructure, city planning with sustainable models and implementing tax credits to help businesses that are environmentally friendly with their operations, technology and services.

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?

This year, the Legislature had a policy where fewer bills could be introduced by representatives. This could be helpful because there is less to process internally within the Legislature. We’d ideally want the staff to be working in an environment that is not stressful from work overload. They can rest and get work done. However, I’m ready to process legislation at the level we are at.

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?

A fiscal analysis can help because representatives and the internal team would have to be fiscally responsible for the financial implications the bill represents from the very beginning. Fiscal analysis will save time. It can help to assess from the beginning instead of funneling an outrageous amount of bills with fiscal impact into the session, just to find out after many hearings with feedback from departments, it is not in the best interest to move forward with it financially.

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?

We should have no limits because their work should be valued and their constituents should be able to enjoy the quality of life their representation provides for many years to come. When someone is voted in, this individual starts building the community with their networks and professional relationships. A representative brings into office all of their resources and all of their values. We should keep this going for as long as possible so they can do the most work possible.

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

I’d work with programs to empower and equip the youth and teens with the skills and tools they’ll need to become successful adults as they transition from high school into workforce development. We need classes our students actually love and have fun with, such as classes for design, music, filmmaking and art. We need mental health resources to train teachers in Social Emotional Learning strategies to be equipped to deal with life’s hardships with grace, compassion, wisdom, integrity and understanding.

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

We should focus on development in the film and creative industries to boost opportunities for our artists, musicians, actors, models, production teams, directors, filmmakers and sound engineers to elevate them into successful careers. We have incredible talent in Hawaii. With the anticipation of building a new major film studio and a music incubator by Kamehameha Schools, we can create economic opportunities for a new generation of talented creatives.

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’d help create stability for our families with a new focus on good jobs and a sustainable lifestyle. We should help our local families elevate and become small business owners with more grants and funding so they can open up the business of their dreams. If elected, I’d work with my Senate counterpart, the Honolulu City Council and the federal offices to access grants for our community.