Josh Green (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josh Green
Official portrait, 2022
9th Governor of Hawaii
Incumbent
Assumed office December 5, 2022
Lieutenant	Sylvia Luke Keith Regan (acting)
Preceded by	David Ige
15th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
In office December 3, 2018 – December 5, 2022
Governor	David Ige
Preceded by	Doug Chin
Succeeded by	Sylvia Luke
Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 3rd district
In office November 4, 2008 – November 6, 2018
Preceded by	Paul Whalen
Succeeded by	Dru Kanuha
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 6th district
In office November 2, 2004 – November 4, 2008
Preceded by	Mark Jernigan
Succeeded by	Denny Coffman
Personal details
Born	Joshua Booth Green (1970-02-11) February 11, 1970 (age 56) Kingston, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Jaime Ushiroda ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	2
Education	Swarthmore College (BS) Pennsylvania State University (MD)
Signature
Website

Joshua Booth Green, born on February 11, 1970, is an American politician and a doctor. He has served as the ninth Governor of Hawaii since 2022. Before becoming governor, he was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 2018 to 2022. He is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2004 to 2018, he was also a member of the Hawaii State Legislature.

About Josh Green

Early Life and School

Josh Green was born in Kingston, New York, on February 11, 1970. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He went to Quaker Valley High School and graduated in 1988. He was one of the top students in his class. While in high school, he was president of the Key Club. He also played on the school's soccer and tennis teams.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in anthropology from Swarthmore College in 1992. Later, he received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in 1997. He finished his training in family medicine in 2000. In 2022, Swarthmore College gave him an honorary Doctor of Science degree.

Becoming a Doctor

After finishing his medical training in 2000, Dr. Green moved to Hawaii. He worked as a doctor for the National Health Service Corps on the Big Island. He practiced family medicine and worked in emergency rooms. Sometimes, he was the only doctor in the rural parts of the island. Even when he became a state senator, he continued to work as an emergency room doctor on weekends.

The Hawaiʻi Medical Association has honored Dr. Green twice. He was named Physician of the Year in 2009. He received the award again in 2022 for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting in Politics

Serving in the Hawaii House

Josh Green began his political career in 2004. He was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives. He represented the 6th district, which covered a rural area on the western side of the Big Island. He served two terms in the House.

Working in the Hawaii Senate

In 2008, Green was elected to the Hawaii Senate. He represented the 3rd district, covering the southwestern part of the Big Island. He was reelected in 2012 and 2014. As a state senator, he became a majority leader. He also led the Committee on Health and Human Services.

In 2013, he was named "Hawaii Legislator of the Year." He helped create a law called Luke's Law. This law made sure children with autism could get insurance coverage for their care. The law started on January 1, 2016.

In 2018, Green worked to protect parents with disabilities. He wanted to make sure their children would not be taken away just because of a parent's disability. He also led efforts to raise the legal age to buy tobacco products and electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21. Hawaii was the first U.S. state to do this.

Green decided not to run for the Senate again in 2018.

Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii

Green's official portrait as Hawaii Lieutenant Governor

In 2018, Josh Green ran for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. He won the Democratic primary election. He then ran alongside David Ige, who was the governor at the time. In Hawaii, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately at first. Then they run together in the main election. Ige and Green won the election on November 6, 2018.

Governor Ige asked Green to help with Hawaii's homelessness problem. He also asked Green to use his medical background. This helped address how mental health affects people experiencing homelessness.

In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Green led a team of over 75 healthcare workers. They went on an emergency medical trip to Samoa. They helped with vaccination efforts against a measles outbreak there.

On March 3, 2020, Governor Ige chose Green to be the main contact. He connected the state government with healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This helped with planning and responding to the virus.

A poll in April 2021 showed that Green was very popular. Many people approved of his work as lieutenant governor. His experience as an emergency room doctor and his work during the pandemic likely helped his popularity.

Governor of Hawaii

Becoming Governor

In August 2019, Josh Green said he was thinking about running for governor of Hawaii. He officially started his campaign on February 10, 2022.

Green won the Democratic primary election on August 13, 2022. His running mate was Sylvia Luke. On November 8, 2022, Green won the general election. He became the ninth Governor of Hawaii.

First Actions as Governor (2023)

Governor Green took office on December 5, 2022. In his first speech, he talked about bringing people together. He also spoke about the high cost of living in Hawaii. He promised to make housing more affordable and change tax rules. He said that by working together, Hawaii could solve any challenge. He highlighted the Hawaiian values of ‘ohana (family) and aloha (love and compassion).

In March 2023, Governor Green signed new laws about healthcare. These laws aimed to make sure people in Hawaii could get the medical care they needed. They also helped protect doctors and nurses who provide these services. In June 2023, he signed two new laws about firearms. These laws expanded rights for carrying concealed weapons. However, they also banned firearms in sensitive places like hospitals and beaches. Another law required active shooter training in schools.

In July 2023, Green declared an emergency about Hawaii's housing crisis. He said housing costs were too high. His order aimed to speed up the building of 50,000 new homes. It did this by pausing some state and local building rules. This plan faced some challenges but was also seen as a bold step.

Important Laws in 2024

Green in Tokyo, Japan, 2024.

During the 2024 legislative session, Governor Green signed 253 new bills into law. These laws covered many areas like healthcare, education, culture, and the economy.

• On June 3, he signed a bill to remove a tax on medical services. This was for services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare. The goal was to lower healthcare costs and support medical providers.
• On June 26, he signed 22 healthcare bills. These bills helped improve mental health support. They also strengthened the healthcare workforce. Some bills promoted Native Hawaiian health resources.
• Green also supported Hawaiian language education. He signed bills to make it easier to learn Hawaiian in schools and universities.
• On June 28, a new law was signed to promote sustainable tourism. This law included Native Hawaiian cultural values in tourism plans.
• Other laws focused on keeping children and elderly people safe. They also supported local farming, veterans, and ocean activities.
• In early July, Green signed 11 agriculture bills. These helped protect against pests and ensured fair labeling for farm products. He also signed 16 bills for fire safety, emergency management, and veteran services.

Energy Plans for Hawaii

Hawaii has a goal to use 100% renewable electricity by 2045. However, Governor Green has suggested building a facility to import liquefied natural gas. This proposal is with a Japanese power company called JERA. The idea is to help meet Hawaii's energy needs. Some reports suggested this could save money for families. However, there are concerns about the cost of natural gas and its impact on the environment.

His Personal Life

Josh Green is Jewish. He married Jaime Ushiroda in 2006. They met when Jaime was working for a state committee. They have two children. Green is also a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team.

See also

In Spanish: Josh Green (político) para niños