Ron Menor
Ron Menor | |
|---|---|
 Menor in 2017 | |
| Member of the Honolulu City Council, District IX | |
| In office 2013–2021 | |
| Preceded by | Nestor Garcia |
| Succeeded by | Augie Tulba |
| Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 18th district | |
| In office May 2000 – 2008 | |
| Appointed by | Ben Cayetano |
| Preceded by | Randy Iwase |
| Succeeded by | Michelle Kidani |
| Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives | |
| In office 39th district (1982-1984) 12th district (1984–1986) 39th district (1992-2000) | |
| Succeeded by | Charlotte Nekota |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 29, 1955 |
| Died | January 17, 2023 (aged 67) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA) Georgetown University Law Center (JD) |
Ronnie Christopher "Ron" Menor (September 29, 1955 – January 17, 2023) was a prominent Filipino-American politician and attorney in Hawaiʻi.[1] He is one of the few individuals in the state's history to have served in the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives, the Hawaiʻi State Senate, and the Honolulu City Council.[2] Throughout his four-decade career, he was known for his advocacy for consumer protection, public education, and the Filipino community.[3]
Early life and education
[edit]Menor was born in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and was the son of Benjamin Menor, the first Filipino-American to serve as a justice on the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court.[4] He was also the nephew of former Representative Barney B. Menor. He attended Iolani School in Honolulu.[5]
Menor graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in Political Science before earning his Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center.[3] After law school, he returned to Hawaiʻi to serve as a law clerk for Chief Justice William S. Richardson.[4]
Political career
[edit]Hawaiʻi State Legislature
[edit]Menor was first elected to the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives in 1982 at the age of 27.[2] Over the next 26 years, he served multiple non-consecutive terms in both the House and Senate, representing Mililani and Central Oʻahu.[4] During his time in the State Senate, he chaired the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, as well as the Committee on Energy and Environment.[4] He was a primary architect of the state's landmark "Gas Cap" law and was a staunch defender of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.[6]
In the 2008 primary election, several months after he pleaded no contest to driving drunk with his 11-year-old son in the car, Menor lost the Democratic renomination to Michelle Kidani.[7]
Honolulu City Council
[edit]In 2012, Menor was elected to the Honolulu City Council, representing District 9 (Waipahu, Village Park, Mililani Mauka).[1] He served as Council Chair and oversaw major infrastructure developments, including the Honolulu Rail Transit project, which he championed as a vital transportation link for working families.[3] He left the Council in 2021 due to term limits.[1][8]
In 2022, Menor ran for the Honolulu City Council District 8 seat but narrowly lost in the general election to Val Okimoto.[1]
Death and legacy
[edit]Menor died unexpectedly on January 17, 2023, at the age of 67, following a medical emergency.[9] Governor Josh Green ordered flags across the state to be flown at half-staff in his honor, praising Menor as a "fearless" and "dedicated public servant."[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Ron Menor". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- 1 2 KHON2 News (January 18, 2023). Longtime Hawaii politician Ron Menor dies at 67. Retrieved April 14, 2026 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - 1 2 3 Marchi-Young, Alyson (January 19, 2021). "Former Lawmaker Ron Menor Joins Strategies 360's Hawaii Practice". Strategies 360. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Ron Menor's Biography". Vote Smart.
- ↑ None (July 23, 2016). "District 09 - Ron Menor". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- ↑ Hawaii News Now (January 18, 2023). Ron Menor, longtime Hawaii politician who brought 'passionate service' to elected office, dies at... Retrieved April 14, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Ron Menor, Councilman?". Honolulu Civil Beat. December 10, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
- ↑ Pang, Gordon Y. K. (January 31, 2020). "Councilman Ron Menor opts out of mayoral race". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
- ↑ "Office of the Governor – News Release – Governor Green issues flag order in honor of late State and City lawmaker Ron Menor". governor.hawaii.gov. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Flag order issued in honor of late lawmaker Ron Menor | Maui Now". | Flag order issued in honor of late lawmaker Ron Menor. January 19, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Hawaii politicians of Filipino descent
- Democratic Party Hawaii state senators
- 21st-century members of the Hawaii State Legislature
- Honolulu City Council members
- City council members of Asian descent
- Asian-American people in Hawaii politics
- Asian-American and Pacific Islander state legislators in Hawaii
- Georgetown University Law Center alumni
- University of California, Los Angeles alumni
- 1955 births
- 2023 deaths