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Official portrait, 2017

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 1st district
In office November 14, 2016 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Mark Takai
Succeeded by	Ed Case
In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Charles Djou
Succeeded by	Mark Takai
11th President of the Hawaii Senate
In office January 2, 2009 – November 6, 2010
Preceded by	Robert Bunda
Succeeded by	Shan Tsutsui
Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 21st district
In office January 20, 1999 – November 6, 2010
Preceded by	James Aki
Succeeded by	Maile Shimabukuro

Personal details
Born	Colleen Wakako Hanabusa May 4, 1951 Waianae, Hawaii Territory, U.S.
Died	March 5, 2026 (aged 74) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	John Souza (m. 2008)
Education	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (BA, MA, JD)

Colleen Wakako Hanabusa (May 4, 1951 – March 5, 2026) was an American lawyer and politician. She represented Hawaii in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. She served again from 2016 to 2019. Hanabusa was a member of the Democratic Party.

Before serving in the U.S. House, Hanabusa was a member of the Hawaii Senate. She became the first woman to be President of the Hawaii Senate in 2007. She also ran for governor of Hawaii in 2018. Later, she ran for Mayor of Honolulu in 2020.

Early Life and Education

Colleen Hanabusa grew up in Waiʻanae, Hawaii. She was a fourth-generation Japanese American. Her parents, Isao and June, owned a gas station. She graduated from St. Andrew's Priory in 1969.

She earned a bachelor's degree in economics and sociology in 1973. She also received a master's degree in sociology in 1975. In 1977, she earned a law degree. This was from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Law Career

Hanabusa was a labor lawyer for almost 30 years. She also worked as a corporate officer in her family's business. She was recognized for her legal work in various publications.

Serving in the Hawaii Senate

In November 1998, Hanabusa was elected as a state senator. She represented the 21st District. This district included Waiʻanae, her family's home for many years. It also covered areas like Ko Olina, Nanakuli, and Makaha.

She quickly became an important voice in the Senate. She served as Senate Majority Leader. In 2006, she made history. She became the first woman president of the Hawaii Senate. This also made her the first Asian American woman to lead a state legislative body in the United States. In 2003, Hawaii Business Magazine named her one of Hawaii's "top ten political power brokers."

Hanabusa ran for the U.S. House of Representatives twice before winning. She ran in 2003 and 2006 but was not successful.

Leadership Roles in the Senate

State Senator for the Leeward Coast since 1998
President of the State Senate since 2007
State Senate Majority Leader since 2007
Chair of the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee

Key Laws She Helped Create

A program for school repairs and maintenance.
A bill to reform election contributions.
A bill to help pay awards for individual rights panels.
A bill to require community notice for halfway houses.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections to Congress

2010 Election

Hanabusa first ran for Congress in a special election in May 2010. She aimed to finish the term of former representative Neil Abercrombie. She did not win this special election. However, she ran again in the general election later that year. With support from other Democratic leaders, she won the election on November 2, 2010. She defeated Charles Djou with 53.2 percent of the votes.

2012 Election

Hanabusa ran for reelection to Congress in 2012. She faced Charles Djou again. She won this election with 55% of the votes.

2014 Senate Race

In December 2012, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye passed away. He had served Hawaii since 1959. Before his death, Senator Inouye wrote a letter to Governor Neil Abercrombie. He asked that Hanabusa be appointed to his Senate seat. However, Governor Abercrombie chose Brian Schatz instead.

In May 2013, Hanabusa announced she would challenge Schatz in the 2014 Democratic primary election for the Senate seat. She believed the people should have a chance to vote for their senator. Senator Inouye's widow, Irene, supported Hanabusa's campaign. In the end, Schatz won the primary election by a small number of votes.

2016 Election

Hanabusa being sworn in by Speaker Paul Ryan

In May 2016, Mark Takai, who had taken Hanabusa's House seat, announced he would not run for reelection due to illness. Hanabusa then decided to run for the seat again. Takai supported her before he passed away in July 2016.

Hanabusa ran in both the special election and the regular election on November 8, 2016. She easily won the Democratic primary. She then won both the special and general elections with over 65 percent of the vote. She was sworn in on November 14, 2016.

Tenure in Congress

Hanabusa at the Aloha Floral Parade in 2010

When Hanabusa first joined Congress, she was appointed to the Armed Services and Natural Resources committees. She was the third Buddhist to serve in the United States Congress. She was also a member of the New Democrat Coalition.

She left the House after the 113th Congress to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014. After returning to the House in 2016, she decided to run for governor of Hawaii in 2018. This meant she left the House again after the 115th Congress.

Legislation She Supported

As a representative, Hanabusa sponsored several bills. Here are a few examples:

112th Congress (2011–2012)

H.R. 3320: This bill aimed to increase funds for grants to U.S. Pacific islands. These grants helped cover costs from people living there who came from certain Pacific island nations.

113th Congress (2013–2014)

H.R. 912: This bill would allow Medicaid to provide care to people lawfully living in U.S. Pacific islands from certain other Pacific island nations.
H.R. 2225: This bill proposed changing Memorial Day back to its original date of May 30.

Hanabusa also supported several bills to recognize and provide benefits to Filipino World War II veterans.

Committee Assignments (115th Congress)

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

Caucus Memberships

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Between Congressional Terms

After leaving Congress in January 2015, Hanabusa continued her work as a labor lawyer. In June 2015, she was appointed to the board of directors for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART). This board oversees the building of the Skyline rail system. She became its chairperson in April 2016 but resigned in October 2016. She also served on the board of directors for Hawaii Gas from June 2015 to November 2016.

2018 Governor Election

Hanabusa decided not to run for reelection to the U.S. House in 2018. Instead, she ran for governor of Hawaii. She challenged the current governor, David Ige, in the Democratic primary. Although early polls suggested she might win, Governor Ige won the primary election. Ed Case then ran for and won Hanabusa's former House seat.

2020 Honolulu Mayor Election

On February 29, 2020, Hanabusa officially started her campaign for mayor of Honolulu. She was one of several candidates for the position. She finished third in the primary election in August 2020. She then supported Rick Blangiardi, who won the general election.

Return to Rail Board

In July 2021, Hanabusa was again elected to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board of directors. She also became its chairperson once more. In 2024, she was elected for another one-year term as chairperson. Hanabusa resigned from the board in September 2025.

Personal Life and Passing

Colleen Hanabusa married John F. Souza III in 2008. She did not have any children.

Colleen Hanabusa passed away on March 5, 2026, after a battle with cancer.