Colleen Hanabusa

A fourth-generation American of Japanese ancestry, Hanabusa grew up in Wai{{okina}}anae with her two younger brothers, her parents, and her grandparents. Her parents, Isao and June, owned a gas station.{{cite web|url=https://www.hanabusaforgovernor.com/about-colleen-hanabusa/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717032446/https://www.hanabusaforgovernor.com/about-colleen-hanabusa/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-07-17|title=About Colleen Hanabusa}} Her maternal grandfather was confined at the Honouliuli Internment Camp on Oahu during World War II.{{cite news |url=https://bigislandnow.com/2018/02/20/rep-hanabusas-statement-on-the-76th-anniversary-of-the-forced-relocation-of-japanese-americans/ |title=Rep. Hanabusa Comments on Anniversary of Forced Relocation of Japanese Americans |newspaper=Big Island Now |date=February 20, 2018 |access-date=March 16, 2018}} In 1969 she graduated from St. Andrew's Priory. She received a B.A. in economics and sociology in 1973 and an M.A. in sociology in 1975 from the University of Hawaiʻi and in 1977 received a J.D. from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.{{citation | last = Rees | first = Robert M. | title = Queen of the Senate | newspaper=Honolulu Weekly | date = June 12, 2002 | url=http://www.honoluluweekly.com/archives/coverstory%20%202002/06-12-02%20Hanabusa/06-12-02%20Hanabusa.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927085027/http://www.honoluluweekly.com/archives/coverstory%20%202002/06-12-02%20Hanabusa/06-12-02%20Hanabusa.html | archive-date=September 27, 2011}}

Hanabusa is a labor lawyer with almost 30 years of experience, and a corporate officer in a family-run corporation. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, Woodward and White, Inc., served as a delegate to the Hawai`i State Judicial Conference, and was noted in Honolulu Magazine as one of Hawai`i's A+ Attorneys in 1993 and subsequent years.

In November 1998 Hanabusa was elected the state senator from the 21st District. The 21st District includes Wai'anae, where her family has resided for four generations, as well as Ko Olina, Kahe Point, Nanakuli, Ma'ili, Makaha, Makua and Ka'ena Point.

One of Hanabusa's first acts upon being elected was to organize senators to vote against the second-term confirmation of Hawaii Attorney General Margery Bronster.

Hanabusa served as Senate Majority Leader before being elected the first woman president of the Senate in 2006, making her the first Asian American woman to preside over a state legislative chamber in the United States. In 2003 she was named one of Hawaii's "top ten political power brokers", along with the state's governor and two U.S. senators, by Hawaii Business Magazine.{{citation | title = Hawaii's Powerbrokers (List) | newspaper = Honolulu Business Magazine | date = October 2003 | url = http://www.hawaiibusiness.com/Hawaii-Business/October-2003/Hawaiias-Powerbrokers-List/ | access-date = May 14, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720075243/http://www.hawaiibusiness.com/Hawaii-Business/October-2003/Hawaiias-Powerbrokers-List/ | archive-date = July 20, 2011 | url-status = dead}}

Hanabusa ran unsuccessfully in a special election held in January 2003 to replace the late Patsy T. Mink as U.S. Representative from Hawai'i's 2nd congressional district, losing to Ed Case, a Blue Dog Democrat.{{citation| last=Gima| first=Craig| title=Victorious Case sees end of old-style politics| date=January 6, 2003| newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin| url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2003/01/06/news/index1.html| access-date=January 7, 2011}} In 2006 she ran for the same seat after Case retired to unsuccessfully challenge Senator Daniel Akaka in the Democratic primary. Hanabusa was again unsuccessful, losing in the Democratic primary to former Lieutenant Governor Mazie Hirono by 844 votes.{{citation| last=Reyes| first=B.J.| title=Statewide name recognition gives Hirono the advantage| date=September 25, 2006| newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin| url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/09/25/news/story03.html| access-date=January 7, 2011}}

• Serving the Leeward Coast as state senator since 1998
• State senate president since 2007
• State senate majority leader since 2007
• Chair, Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee
• Co-chair, Joint Senate House Task Force on Ice and Drug Abatement
• Senate's first statewide hearings on Rice v. Cayetano
• United States Supreme Court decision co-chair, Joint Senate House Investigative Committee: Felix Consent Decree
• 2001 Vice chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee
• Vice president, state senate
• Chair, Senate Committee on Water, Land, and Hawaiian Affairs

• 3 R's program for repair and maintenance of schools
• Repeal of the Van Cam Law
• Tax credit to enable construction and jobs at Ko Olina
• Bill to reform election contributions
• Bill to pay the awards of the Individual Rights Panel-DHHL
• Bill to require community notice prior to establishing a halfway house
• Bill for a ceded land inventory Education Initiatives

In 2002, while in the state legislature, Hanabusa emerged as the leading advocate for legislation authorizing $75 million in tax credits for Ko Olina Resort, a move she declared necessary to spur development for the Leeward area, but which others saw as a reward for a close associate and political backer, Ko Olina developer Jeff Stone. When Governor Ben Cayetano vetoed the tax credit bill, Hanabusa took the unprecedented step of suing to overturn the veto.{{citation| last=Pang | first=Gordon Y.K. | title = Is 2nd time charm for U.S. House candidate? |newspaper=Honolulu Advertiser | date=August 29, 2006 | url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Aug/29/ln/FP608290346.html/|access-date=May 14, 2010}}{{citation| title=Senator sees no conflict in many ties to Ko Olina | first=Jim | last=Dooley | newspaper=Honolulu Advertiser | date=March 4, 2004 | url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Mar/04/ln/ln03a.html | access-date=June 28, 2010}}

Within months, Hanabusa's then-fiancé John Souza received a preferential deal in purchasing one of Stone's homes in Ko Olina. In February 2005, less than two years after Souza bought the home, he sold it for a $421,000 profit, according to real estate records. Souza and Hanabusa, who were engaged at the time and married in 2008, then bought a $1 million home in another Ko Olina subdivision developed by Centex Homes of Texas.{{citation| last=Dooley | first=Jim | title=Exclusive Report: Close Ties Between Congressional Candidate Colleen Hanabusa and Ko Olina Developer Rake in Funds | newspaper=Hawaii Reporter | date=October 28, 2010 | url=http://www.hawaiireporter.com/exclusive-report-close-ties-between-congressional-candidate-colleen-hanabusa-and-koolina-developer-rake-in-funds | access-date=February 7, 2011}}

The Ko Olina tax-credit legislation, intended to promote development of a "world-class" aquarium at the resort, expired after plans for the aquarium were abandoned. Ko Olina Resort eventually returned the tax credit, but the Lingle Administration and Hanabusa disagreed on how to use the returned funds.{{citation| last=Kua | first=Crystal | title = Ko Olina Resort returns tax credit of $75 million | newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | volume=12 | issue=18 | date= January 18, 2007 | url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/01/18/news/story01.html | access-date=May 14, 2010}}

{{Main|2010 Hawaii's 1st congressional district special election|2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii#District 1}}

Hanabusa ran unsuccessfully in the May 22, 2010, special election to serve out the remaining months of former representative Neil Abercrombie's term; then-City Councilman Charles Djou defeated her without winning a majority of the votes under the rules of the all-party election that split the Democratic vote between Hanabusa and rival Ed Case, a moderate Democrat.{{Citation

| last = DePledge

| first = Derrick

| title = Hawaii candidates for Congress outline policy differences

| newspaper = Honolulu Advertiser

| date = January 14, 2010

| url = http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/Jan/14/ln/hawaii1140326.html

| access-date = March 5, 2011}}{{Citation

| last=DePledge

| first=Derrick

| title = Election results show Djou's appeal outside East Honolulu

| date = May 24, 2010

| url = http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/May/24/ln/hawaii5240346.html

| newspaper = Honolulu Advertiser

| access-date = January 7, 2011}}

U.S. Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka supported Hanabusa's special election campaign and backed her again in the September primary. Some in the national Democratic Party indicated a preference for Case, who previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives before an unsuccessful U.S. Senate primary challenge to Akaka in 2006. The national Democratic leadership remained officially neutral.{{citation| last=DePledge| first=Derrick| title=Hanabusa defies polls, will stay in race| date=May 6, 2010| newspaper=Honolulu Advertiser| url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/May/06/ln/hawaii5060342.html| access-date=January 7, 2011}}{{Citation

| last = DePledge

| first = Derrick

| title = Senators boost Hanabusa

| newspaper = Honolulu Advertiser

| date = January 10, 2010

| url = http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/Jan/10/ln/hawaii1100359.html

| access-date = March 5, 2011}}

On May 30, 2010, Case, citing his third-place showing in the special election and to avoid a rift among Democrats that could lead to Djou's winning the November election, announced his withdrawal from the race and gave his support to Hanabusa.{{citation| last=DePledge | first=Derrick | title=Case stuns with withdrawal from Hawaii congressional primary | date=May 31, 2010 | newspaper=Honolulu Advertiser | url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/May/31/ln/hawaii5310345.html | access-date=February 7, 2011}} That made Hanabusa the top Democratic candidate in the September party primary, which she won.{{citation| author=Star-Advertiser staff | title=Djou and Hanabusa have rematch Nov. 2 | date=September 19, 2010 | newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser | url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/elections/2010/primary/20100919_Djou_and_Hanabusa_have_rematch_Nov_2.html | access-date=February 7, 2011}} Hanabusa subsequently challenged Djou for the same seat and on November 2 won the general election, 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent.{{citation| url=http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/house | title=House Map – Election Results 2010 – The New York Times | newspaper=New York Times | access-date=February 7, 2011}}{{citation| last=Reyes | first=B.J. | title=Hanabusa sweeps districts | date=November 4, 2010 | newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser | url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20101104_Hanabusa_sweeps_districts.html | access-date=February 7, 2011}}

{{Main|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii#District 1}}

Although there was some speculation that she would run to succeed retiring senator Daniel Akaka, Hanabusa opted to run for reelection to Congress. She faced Djou again, and defeated him 55% to 45%.

{{Main|2014 United States Senate special election in Hawaii}}

On December 17, 2012, the second-longest serving U.S. Senator in history, Daniel Inouye, who had represented the state of Hawaii since it became a state in 1959, died of respiratory complications.{{citation|title=Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye Dies At 88 Of Respiratory Complications|date=December 17, 2012|url=https://www.npr.org/2012/12/17/167484210/hawaii-sen-daniel-inouye-dies-at-88-of-respiratory-complications|last1=Elving|last2=Block|first1=Ron|first2=Melissa|work=NPR.org|access-date=October 27, 2013}} Shortly before his death, Inouye sent Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie a letter requesting that Hanabusa be appointed to his seat for the remainder of his term. Hanabusa submitted her name for consideration to the Democratic Party of Hawaii,{{citation|last=Wong|first=Scott|title=Hanabusa to apply for Inouye's Hawaii Senate seat|date=December 19, 2012|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/12/hanabusa-to-apply-for-inouyes-hawaii-senate-seat-152474.html|work=Politico.com|access-date=October 27, 2013}} which then included her on a list of three candidates for Abercrombie's consideration.{{citation|title=Mr. Schatz goes to Washington|date=December 27, 2012|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/newspremium/20121227__Mr_Schatz_goes_to_Washington.html|last1=DePledge|last2=Reyes|first1=Derrick|first2=B.J.|newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|access-date=October 27, 2013}} {{subscription required}} Abercrombie chose Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii Brian Schatz.{{citation|last=Blair|first=Chad|title=Why Abercrombie Didn't Pick Hanabusa|date=December 26, 2012|url=http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2012/12/26/17981-why-abercrombie-didnt-pick-hanabusa/|work=Honolulu Civil Beat|publisher=Peer News|access-date=October 27, 2013}} On December 26, 2012, Schatz was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden. On May 2, 2013, Hanabusa announced she would challenge Schatz in the 2014 Democratic primary. She said "Brian was not elected. He was appointed, and I don't think the people have really had an opportunity to weigh in on who they want to represent them in the United States Senate."{{citation|last=Garcia|first=Oskar|title=Hanabusa announces US Senate run in Hawaii|date=May 2, 2013|url=https://news.yahoo.com/hanabusa-announces-us-senate-run-hawaii-214647549.html|work=Yahoo News|access-date=October 27, 2013|agency=Associated Press}}

In May, Hanabusa was endorsed by Inouye's widow, Irene, who said, "Shortly after she was elected president of the Hawaii State Senate, Dan recognized that Colleen was more than capable of succeeding him and he began to mentor her. His last wish was that Colleen serve out his term because he was confident in her ability to step into the Senate and immediately help Hawaii."{{citation|last=Schultheis|first=Emily|title=Daniel Inouye's widow endorses Colleen Hanabusa over Brian Schatz|date=May 3, 2013|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/inouyes-widow-endorses-hanabusa-over-schatz-90892.html|work=Politico.com|access-date=October 27, 2013}} Hanabusa's campaign hired many of Inouye's staffers.{{citation|title=Can Inouye's Ghost Take Down Sen. Brian Schatz?|date=June 24, 2013|url=http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2013/06/24/19374-can-dan-inouyes-ghost-take-down-senator-brian-schatz/|last1=Blair|last2=Grube|first1=Chad|first2=Nick|work=Honolulu Civil Beat|publisher=Peer News|access-date=October 27, 2013}} Polling throughout the campaign was controversially mixed, with each campaign releasing different poll results.{{citation|last=Burns|first=Alexander|title=Hawaii Dems clash on 2014 polls|date=July 3, 2013|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/colleen-hanabusa-hawaii-senate-democratic-primary-2014-poll-93657.html|work=Politico.com|access-date=October 27, 2013}} In the end, Schatz won narrowly, with 115,401 votes to Hanabusa's 113,632.

{{Main|2016 Hawaii's 1st congressional district special election|2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii}}

File:Colleen Hanabusa swearing in.jpg]]

In May 2016 Hanabusa's successor in the House, Mark Takai, announced he was not running for reelection that year due to pancreatic cancer. Hanabusa subsequently announced that she would once again run for the seat.{{cite web|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/breaking-news/hanabusa-to-run-for-u-s-house-to-succeed-takai/|title=Hanabusa to run for U.S. House to succeed Takai|first=Kevin|last=Dayton|work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|date=May 25, 2016}} Prior to his July 20, 2016, death, Takai endorsed Hanabusa to succeed him.{{cite web|url=http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/32093411/takai-endorses-hanabusa|title=Takai endorses Hanabusa in congressional race|last=Daysog|first=Rick|work=Hawaii News Now|date=May 29, 2016}} Two weeks after his death, on August 3, Hanabusa announced that she would also run in the special election on November 8, 2016, the same date as the regularly scheduled election, to finish Takai's term in the 114th United States Congress.{{cite web|last=Dayton|first=Kevin|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-news/special-election-winner-will-finish-takais-term/|title=Special-election winner will finish Takai's term|work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|date=August 3, 2016|access-date=August 5, 2016}} On August 13 she easily won the Democratic primary for the general election.{{cite web|last=Cole|first=William|title=Schatz, Hanabusa, Gabbard cruise to victory in congressional races|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/breaking-news/hanabusa-schatz-rack-up-early-leads-in-house-senate-races/|work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|date=August 13, 2016|access-date=August 15, 2016}} On October 24 Hanabusa resigned as Chair of the HART Board.{{cite web|last=Honoré|first=Marcel|title=Longtime construction executive to replace Hanabusa on HART board|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/10/28/breaking-news/longtime-construction-executive-to-replace-hanabusa-on-hart-board/|work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|date=October 28, 2016|access-date=November 7, 2016}} She won both the special and general elections with more than 65 percent of the vote.

File:Colleen Hanabusa - Aloha Floral Parade 2010.jpgAfter House GOP leader John Boehner pledged to give incumbent Congressman Charles Djou a seat on the Appropriations Committee, Senator Daniel Inouye said that Democrats would also name Hanabusa to Appropriations.{{citation |title=Inouye: Hanabusa would win appropriations spot |date=October 20, 2010 |url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/105359163.html |newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |access-date=February 7, 2011 |agency=Associated Press}} However, House Democratic leadership instead appointed her to the Armed Services and Natural Resources committees.{{citation |title=Hanabusa appointed to armed services and natural resources committees |date=January 19, 2011 |url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/114242329.html |newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |access-date=February 7, 2011 |agency=Associated Press}}

Hanabusa was the third Buddhist to join the United States Congress, preceded by Hank Johnson of Georgia and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.{{cite news |date=January 5, 2015 |title=Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 114th Congress |publisher=Pew Research Center |url=http://www.pewforum.org/2015/01/05/faith-on-the-hill/2/ |access-date=September 13, 2016 |quote=The number of Buddhists in Congress fell from three to two, as Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, lost her bid for a Senate seat.}} Her election made Hawaii the only state with a majority non-Christian House delegation. She was a member of the New Democrat Coalition.{{cite web |title=Members |url=https://newdemocratcoalition-himes.house.gov/members |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208100356/https://newdemocratcoalition-himes.house.gov/members |archive-date=8 February 2018 |access-date=2 February 2018 |publisher=New Democrat Coalition}}

She left the House at the end of the 113th Congress to run for US Senate in 2014, losing in the primary. After regaining the seat in 2016, she chose to run in the Democratic primary for governor of Hawaii in 2018, leaving the House again after the 115th Congress.

As a representative, Hanabusa sponsored 14 bills, including:{{cite web|title=Representative Hanabusa's Legislation|url=https://www.congress.gov/member/colleen-hanabusa/2010?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Hanabusa%22%5D%2C%22sponsorship%22%3A%22sponsored%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22bills%22%7D|publisher=Library of Congress|access-date=December 16, 2014}}

• H.R. 3320, a bill to increase funds for grants to U.S. owned Pacific islands to offset costs resulting from the residency of people from a Compact of Free Association (COFA) member-state, introduced November 2, 2011. Hanabusa introduced a similar bill, H.R. 1222, in the 113th Congress.

• H.R. 912, a bill to allow for Medicaid to provide care to people lawfully residing in a U.S. owned Pacific island who are from a COFA member-state, introduced February 28, 2013
• H.R. 2225, a bill to change Memorial Day from the last Monday in May to its previous date of May 30, introduced June 3, 2013

In addition to the bills listed above, Hanabusa sponsored several bills relating to Filipino World War II veterans that would, among other things, recognize their efforts in World War II and provide veteran benefits to them.

• House Armed Services Committee (HASC)
• Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
• Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
• House Committee on Natural Resources
• Subcommittee on Federal Lands (Ranking Member)
• Subcommittee on Indian Insular, and Alaska Native Affairs
• House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Subcommittee on Environment

• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://capac-chu.house.gov/members|publisher=Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus|access-date=17 May 2018}}

After leaving Congress in January 2015, Hanabusa continued with her labor law practice. In June 2015 Honolulu mayor Kirk Caldwell appointed her to the board of directors of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), the builder of Skyline,{{cite web|url=http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/06/hanabusa-picked-to-help-monitor-honolulu-rail-project/|title=Hanabusa Picked to Help Monitor Honolulu Rail Project|date=1 June 2015|access-date=6 April 2018}} to replace Carrie Okinaga. She became its chairperson in April 2016 and resigned from it in October 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/10/28/breaking-news/longtime-construction-executive-to-replace-hanabusa-on-hart-board/|title=Longtime construction executive to replace Hanabusa on HART board|date=October 28, 2016|access-date=2017-03-01}} She has served on the board of directors for Hawaii Gas since June 2015.{{Cite web|url = http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2015/06/04/hawaii-gas-names-hanabusa-matsumoto-ngo-to-board.html| title = Hawaii Gas names Colleen Hanabusa, Colbert Matsumoto, Catherine Ngo to board of directors – Pacific Business News| website = Pacific Business News| access-date = February 27, 2016}}

{{Main|2018 Hawaii gubernatorial election}}

Hanabusa decided not to run for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 and instead ran for statewide office, this time for governor of Hawaii. She challenged incumbent governor David Ige in the Democratic primary. Based on polling as late as May 2018, she was favored to defeat Ige in the August primary,{{cite web |url=http://www.civilbeat.org/2018/05/civil-beat-poll-hanabusa-leads-ige-by-6-as-primary-draws-closer/ |title=Poll: Hanabusa Leads Ige By 6 As Primary Draws Closer |date=May 22, 2018 |access-date=June 17, 2018 |website=Civil Beat |first=Nathan |last=Eagle}} but Ige won, 50 percent to 43 percent.{{cite web|url=https://elections.hawaii.gov/wp-content/results/histatewide.pdf |title=Primary Election 2018 – State of Hawaii – Statewide |access-date=August 12, 2018|publisher=Hawaii Office of Elections}} Fellow Democrat Ed Case ran for and won Hanabusa's House seat, and took office in January 2019.

{{Main|2020 Honolulu mayoral election}}

On February 29, 2020, Hanabusa officially launched her campaign for mayor of Honolulu, joining several other candidates for the office.{{cite news |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/03/01/hanabusa-officially-launches-campaign-honolulu-mayor/ |title=Hanabusa officially launches campaign for Honolulu mayor |publisher=Hawaii News Now |date=February 29, 2020 |access-date=April 8, 2020}} She placed third in the August 2020 nonpartisan blanket primary and endorsed Rick Blangiardi,{{cite news |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/08/17/breaking-news/colleen-hanabusa-expected-to-endorse-rick-blangiardi-for-mayor/ |title=Colleen Hanabusa endorses Rick Blangiardi over Keith Amemiya for mayor |date=August 17, 2020 |newspaper=Honolulu Star Advertiser |access-date=December 5, 2020}} who won the general election in November.{{cite news |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/11/03/hawaii-news/rick-blangiardi-wins-honolulu-mayors-race/ |title=Rick Blangiardi wins Honolulu mayor's race |date=November 3, 2020 |newspaper=Honolulu Star Advertiser |first=Gordon Y.K. |last=Pang |access-date=December 5, 2020}}

In July 2021, Hanabusa was elected again to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board of directors, and again as its chairperson, after having resigned from the role in 2016.{{cite news |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/07/30/breaking-news/colleen-hanabusa-elected-to-serve-again-as-honolulu-rail-board-chairwoman/ |title=Colleen Hanabusa elected to serve again as Honolulu rail board chairwoman |date=July 30, 2021 |newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |first=Ashley |last=Mizuo |access-date=April 9, 2025}} In 2024, she was elected to an additional one-year term as chairperson.{{cite news |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/10/honolulu-rail-authority-board-keeps-colleen-hanabusa-as-chair/ |title=Honolulu Rail Authority Board Keeps Colleen Hanabusa As Chair |date=October 25, 2024 |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |first=Kevin |last=Dayton |access-date=April 9, 2025}}

Hanabusa married former State Sheriff John F. Souza III in 2008,{{cite news |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/07/colleen-hanabusa-you-dont-need-someone-who-needs-training-wheels/ |title=Colleen Hanabusa: 'You Don't Need Someone Who Needs Training Wheels' |date=July 13, 2020 |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |first=Christina |last=Jedra |access-date=January 25, 2024 }} after their engagement was noted in 2004.{{cite news |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Mar/04/ln/ln03a.html |title=Senator sees no conflict in many ties to Ko Olina |date=March 4, 2004 |newspaper=The Honolulu Advertiser |first=Jim |last=Dooley |access-date=January 25, 2024 }} Hanabusa has no children.{{cite news |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2011/07/11944-mazie-hirono-v-colleen-hanabusa-a-preview/ |title=Mazie Hirono v. Colleen Hanabusa: A Preview? |date=July 1, 2011 |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |first=Chad |last=Blair |access-date=January 25, 2024 }}

• Women in the United States House of Representatives
• List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress

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{{Commons category|Colleen Hanabusa}}

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Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American Buddhists

Category:20th-century American lawyers

Category:20th-century American women lawyers

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century American Buddhists

Category:21st-century American lawyers

Category:21st-century American women lawyers

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:American labor lawyers

Category:American women of Japanese descent in politics

Category:Asian American and Pacific Islander state legislators in Hawaii

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives of Asian descent

Category:Buddhist members of the United States House of Representatives

Category:Candidates in the 2014 United States elections

Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States elections

Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States elections

Category:Democratic Party Hawaii state senators

Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Hawaii

Category:Female members of the United States House of Representatives

Category:Hawaii politicians of Japanese descent

Category:Lawyers from Hawaii

Category:Members of the United States Congress of Japanese descent

Category:Presidents of the Hawaii Senate

Category:William S. Richardson School of Law alumni

Category:Women state legislators in Hawaii

Category:21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives

Category:20th-century members of the Hawaii State Legislature

Category:21st-century members of the Hawaii State Legislature