Val Okimoto

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Val Okimoto
Member of the Honolulu City Council
from the 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 29, 2022
Preceded byBrandon Elefante
Minority Leader of the Hawaii House of Representatives
In office
February 17, 2021 – November 8, 2022
Preceded byGene Ward
Succeeded byLauren Matsumoto
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
from the 36th district
In office
November 6, 2018 – November 8, 2022
Preceded byBeth Fukumoto
Succeeded byLauren Matsumoto (Redistricting)
Personal details
Born1975 or 1976 (age 49–50)
Lihue, Hawaii, U.S.
PartyRepublican
Children2
EducationBrigham Young University, Hawaii (BS)
Chaminade University (GrCert)
WebsiteCampaign website

Val Aquino Okimoto (née Aquino) is an American politician and educator, who has served on the Honolulu City Council as the member representing District VIII since 2022. From 2018 to 2022, she served as the Minority Leader of the Hawaii House of Representatives.

Okimoto was elected to represent District VIII on the Honolulu City Council, the legislative body of the City and County of Honolulu, on November 8, 2022. She was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Gene Ward, the incumbent. She was then elected to the Hawaii Senate on November 29, 2022.[1]

Okimoto previously served as the state Representative for District 36 and is a member of the Republican Party. Okimoto is a 2019 graduate of the Council of State Governments West - Western Legislative Academy,[2] and is a recipient of a 2020 Elected Women of Excellence Award from the National Foundation for Women Legislators.[3] She was elected to serve as Minority Leader on February 17, 2021.[4]

Background

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Okimoto was born in Lihue, Hawaii. She is of Japanese and Filipino descent. She graduated from high school with honors from Kauai High School. Okimoto earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting with a minor in Business Management from Brigham Young University of Hawaii, and earned her Special Education Teacher Certification at Chaminade University of Honolulu. Okimoto has done mission work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cebu, Philippines. She is an active member of the community by serving as a Director and Treasurer of the Mililani Town Association (MTA),[5] School Community Council (SCC) board member at Mililani ‘Ike Elementary School, member of the Board of Directors for Hoaloha ‘Ike, Parent and Coach for Mililani American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), and served for 4 years as the President of her church's chapter of a woman's organization.[6]

Political career

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Okimoto was elected to represent District 36 of the Hawaii House of Representatives, which includes Mililani Mauka, Mililani, and Waipiʻo Acres, on November 6, 2018. She was re-elected for a second term on November 3, 2020.[6] On November 8, 2022, Okimoto was elected to represent District VIII on the Honolulu City Council.

A social and fiscal conservative, Okimoto opposed gay marriage legislation in 2013 and bills supporting adoption rights for same-sex couples.[7][8]

Electoral history

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2022 General Election for Honolulu City Council District VIII[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Val Okimoto 22,456 53.8%
Nonpartisan Ron Menor 16,745 40.1%
2020 General Election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 36[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Val Okimoto 6,949 50.2%
Democratic Trish La Chica 6,337 45.8%
2018 General Election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 36[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Val Okimoto 4,933 51.3%
Democratic Marilyn Lee 4,081 42.4%

Committee assignments

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2022-Present (Honolulu City Council)
  • Committee on Public Safety, Chair
  • Committee on Parks, Enterprise Services and Culture and the Arts, Vice Chair
  • Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs
  • Committee on Transportation
  • Committee on Housing, Sustainability and Health
  • Committee on Planning and the Economy
2021-2022 (31st Legislature)
  • Committee on Economic Development
  • Committee on Education
  • Committee on Higher Education & Technology
  • Committee on Labor & Tourism
  • Committee on Legislative Management (beginning February 17, 2021)[4]
2019-2020 (30th Legislature)
  • Committee on Agriculture (2019)
  • Committee on Lower & Higher Education
  • Committee on Tourism & International Affairs
  • Committee on Transportation (2020)

References

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