Governor Josh Green, M.D. appointed public servants, Luke Evslin and Trish LaChica to fill State House of Representatives seats left vacant due to earlier cabinet-level nominations.

Evslin will serve House District 16 (Wailuā, Hanamā‘ulu, Kapaia, Līhu‘e, Puhi, portion of ‘Ōma‘o) on Kaua‘i.  Until recently a member of the Kaua‘i County Council, Evslin is a longtime entrepreneur who overcome tremendous personal challenges after suffering severe injury during the 2010 Moloka‘i Hoe. While on the Council, he co-introduced legislation addressing the critical shortage of affordable housing; proposed creation of a county program to leverage $1.2M in Clean Water State Revolving Funds to provide free septic systems to homeowners, among other legislation.

Trish LaChica will serve House District 37 (Mililani Mauka, Mililani Town, Koa Ridge and Waipi‘o Gentry), on O‘ahu. La Chica most recently served the City and County of Honolulu as the executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Homelessness. Previously, she was Community and Government Relations Manager at AlohaCare, where she facilitated a $1M community reinvestment program to help underserved communities. She also has served on the Mililani Neighborhood Board and various boards and coalitions.

The new House Representatives’ names were among six submitted to the Governor by the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i in accordance with state law (HRS 17-4).

Evslin and La Chica succeed former State Representatives James Tokioka and Ryan Yamane, respectively. In December, Tokioka was appointed by the Governor to serve as deputy director of the Airports Division of the Department of Transportation, while Yamane was appointed by the Governor to serve as deputy director of the Department of Human Resources Development.