Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim has been selected as the President of the Senate and will preside during the 27th Hawaii State Legislature, which will convene on January 16, 2013, according to a Senate press release.

Sen. Ronald D. Kouchi will serve as Senate Vice President.  Sen. David Ige will continue as Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, with Sen. Michelle Kidani serving as his Vice Chair.

The Senate acted quickly to organize after Maui State Senator Shan Tsutsui took the oath of office as Lieutenant Governor on Thursday.    The Senate line-up remains mostly intact to allow members continuity in their committee work as the Senate has been preparing for the upcoming session.

"We are solidified in dealing with the pressing issues facing our State.  The Senate continues to be organized in a cooperative and focused manner.  I’m humbled to receive the confidence and support of my colleagues," said Kim.

"We reached an agreement quickly so that we can continue to focus our attention on the issues and begin preparations for the 2013 session," said Kouchi.

A complete listing of Senate leadership and committee chairmanships is as follows: