Duties: The Hawaii State House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature. The Hawaii House of Representatives is a part-time body.Areas Represented: Hawi, Kapaau, Halaula, Waiaka, Waimea, Makahalau, Palihooukapapa, Waikii, a portion of Waikoloa, a portion of Waikui, Kawaihae, MahukonaHow Elected: The house consists of 51 members elected from an equal number of respective representative districts. A Representative must be a Hawaii resident not less than three years, is at least 18 years old, and is a qualified voter of the representative district from which the person seeks to be elected. Candidates for state legislative offices who are nominated in the primary election and are unopposed in the general election will be deemed elected to the office sought after the primary election regardless of the number of votes received by that candidate (Hawaii State Constitution, Article III, Section 4).Term: Two years, not subject to term limits.Base Salary (FY2022): $62,604 plus $225/day if living outside Oahu, $10/day for members living on Oahu; Speaker of the House - $70,104
Education
Hilo High School
Community/Military Service
US Navy
Campaign Phone
8089383370
I am running for House district 8 because I deeply understand the needs of our community. My experience comes from being a wife, mother, grandmother, small business owner, homeowner, and taxpayer living in Hawai'i most of my life.
I have watched the public education system fail our keiki. Corruption in government at its highest level. Locals being priced out of Hawaii because we have the highest cost of living. Our homeless population, mental health, at crisis levels.
Hawai'i lawmakers need to do better for our Kupuna, Keiki, and everyone in between.
The biggest issue facing our district is affordable housing. We need to ensure that "affordable housing" is truly affordable and that these opportunities are prioritized for those who have lived in Hawai'i for at least 3-5 years. We must also build homes and place beneficiaries on the lands in our Native Hawaiian community, fulfilling the mission of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act as intended by Prince Kuhio's legacy. It's time for the State to honor our commitments and create a sustainable future for all residents.
For years, our lawmakers have promised to diversify our economy, yet the pandemic and subsequent shutdown have revealed the fragility of a system that relies too heavily on one sector. We need to genuinely support our small business by easing regulations and promoting our island products. effectively utilize our agriculture lands and invest in diversified agriculture to create new job opportunities and enhance our food security. By doing so, we can build a more resilient and sustainable economy for Hawai'i.
We need to audit each emergency department to evaluate policies and procedures. Immediately reach out to all past and potential private-public partnerships to renew and or revise plans. Use these resources to engage and educate the public. Pursue Federal and private grants to start an Emergency fund and allocate tax dollars to keep it replenished. Engage communities in disaster preparedness programs and provide education on emergency response to foster resilience at the local level. Maintain strategic stockpiles of essential supplies like food, water, medicine and fuel.
Education
Tarnas received his B.A. in Political Science from Kalamazoo College (1982) and Master of Marine Affairs from University of Washington (1985), specializing in marine policy and coastal resources management and planning. Tarnas received further training from the Hawai‘i Agriculture Leadership Training Program (1993) at the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and the Pacific Century Fellows program (1998).
Community/Military Service
David Tarnas is in his fifth term as the Hawai'i State Representative for North and South Kohala Districts, and North Kona (1994-1998, 2018-2024). In the 2022-2024 legislature, Tarnas served as the Chair of the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs. Tarnas previously served as the West Hawai'i Extension Agent for the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant Extension Service, tasked with resolving conflicts resulting from coastal development. Tarnas is a former member of the Community Advisory Group for the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai‘i Pohakuloa, former member of the Hawai‘i County Agriculture Advisory Commission, and former Hawai‘i County Chairman for the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. He is a current member of the Waimea Community Association and Waikoloa Community Leadership Council.
Campaign Phone
(808) 987-5810
Aloha. I am running for re-election as State Representative for House District 8 - North and South Kohala where I have lived nearly 38 years and where my wife and I raised our two children. I am a professional environmental planner and have worked in Hawaii and overseas on public and private sector projects. I just completed my fifth term in office and have served as the Chair of the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, as well as Chair of the House Committee on Water and Land. This broad range of experience allows me to serve effectively as our district’s State Representative.
Reducing the cost of living, supporting affordable housing, public education, public safety and environmental protection, and reducing wildfire risk are top priorities. This last session, we significantly reduced income taxes, exempted Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare-funded medical and dental care from GET, increased the supply of affordable housing and reduced wildfire risk. I also secured funds to build the new Waikoloa Library, expand healthcare facilities in North Kohala, repair the Kawaihae North Small Boat Harbor, replace Waiaka Bridge, and make traffic safety improvements in Waimea.
I support Hawaii Tourism Authority developing destination management plans to better manage tourism and reduce its negative impacts on communities and special places. I work hard to support the expansion of other sectors of our economy including agriculture, astronomy, healthcare, and knowledge-based businesses. Two years ago, I was the lead House negotiator to establish a new regulatory authority for Mauna Kea that gave Native Hawaiians a stronger role in the governance of the mauna and established a clear state policy to support astronomy that is environmentally and culturally appropriate.
This past session, I supported the appropriation of $300 million to our emergency and budget reserve fund to ensure we have funds to meet any emergency needs. In addition, I have been fiscally prudent in the budgets under the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee, which I chair, including the budget for the Judiciary and our new Department of Law Enforcement. In response to the wildfires that raged across the state last year, I also supported the appropriation of $23 million to DLNR to help reduce the risk of wildfire and improve our ability to respond to and recover from a wildfire.
