Former state Rep. Dennis R. Yamada of Kauai dies at age 75
COURTESY PHOTO
Former Kauai state Rep. Dennis R. Yamada.
Gov. David Ige and Sen. President Ronald Kouchi today praised former six-term Kauai state Rep. Dennis R. Yamada — who also was a former University of Hawaii regent and chairman of the state Public Utilities Commission — who died Sunday at the age of 75.
Ige and Kouchi also offered their condolences to Yamada’s family and loved ones.
“Dawn and I join the community in mourning the loss of former Rep. Yamada,” Ige said in a statement. “We thank him for the years he dedicated to proudly serving the people of Kauai and our state.”
Kouchi, in a statement, called Yamada “a dedicated public servant who tried to steer public policy to positively affect the people of Hawaii – through his leadership and service as a state representative.”
No cause of death was released.
Yamada also served on the Public Utilities Commission.
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During his time in the Legislature, Yamada chaired the House Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee from 1972 through 1978; and the House Judiciary Committee from 1978 through 1980. He then served as House majority leader from 1980 through 1982.
Yamada was born and raised on Kauai and went on to the University of Missouri and Drake University Law School.
He later became a lawyer in private practice with the Kauai law firm of Shiraishi and Yamada.
Even though he was born into a family of Democrats, Yamada told The Honolulu Advertiser in a 1980 profile that he became a Republican after he was influenced by his GOP law partner, Clinton Shiraishi, who himself had retired from politics by 1980.
Yamada won election to the House in 1970 as a Republican. In 1974, after switching to the Democratic Party, Yamada won re-election.
The Advertiser described Yamada in its 1980 profile as a “new breed of politician.”
Even after switching parties, Yamada described himself as a political conservative who worked both against and within the Democrat-controlled House.
After serving 12 years in the House, Yamada decided against seeking a seventh term in 1982.
He cited unspecified “economic and professional reasons” at the time.
In April 1985, then-Gov. George Ariyoshi appointed Yamada to the UH Board of Regents. Yamada was 40 years old at the time.
Ige’s office said today that Ige will issue a flag order for the day of Yamada’s memorial service, which has not been announced.
