Dear Friends,

Thank you for your time and interest in state government. I welcome you to the Majority Caucus website and hope it will serve your needs.

I am deeply honored to serve the people of Puna, Ka'u, South Kona, and North Kona. Your concerns and ideas are highly valuable and I welcome your voice and participation.

Recently, I was appointed to succeed Representative Hiraki in chairing the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce and I am honored and humbled to serve in this new capacity. I look forward to a productive 2006 session!

Aloha,
Bob Herkes
State Representative
5th District

TOPICS OF INTEREST

• Life Insurance; Death Benefits. Rep. Herkes introduced a measure, enacted into law as Act 177, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 2008, that establishes consumer protections in life settlement transactions where the owner of a life insurance policy transfers the death benefit or any portion of the policy for compensation that is less than the expected death benefit, but more than the surrender value of the policy.
  
  
• Air Carrier Commission. Rep. Herkes introduced a measure, enacted into law as Act 1, Special SLH 2008, that protects the air transportation needs of Hawaii's residents as well as visitors to Hawaii by establishing a statutory scheme for the regulation of inter-island air carriers in Hawaii by an Air Carrier Commission.
  
  
• Financial Trademarks. Rep. Herkes introduced a measure, enacted into law as Act 51, SLH 2008, that protects consumers of financial services by prohibiting the deceptive use of the name or trademark of a financial institution, or its affiliates or subsidiaries, in marketing materials and solicitations directed at existing or prospective customers.
  
  
• Emergency Mobile Urgent Care for Ocean View and Volcano
  Representative Herkes represents areas that are rural and that do not have readily-available access to emergency medical care. House Bill No. 1975, H.D. 2, would have provided critical medical care services for residents and visitors of the Big Island by appropriating funds for two emergency mobile urgent care units to be stationed at the fire departments of the Ocean View and Volcano communities. However, this measure failed to gain Senate approval.
  
  
• Disaster Preparedness
  Representative Herkes believes that disaster preparedness should be one of the biggest priorities of the Legislature. House Bill No. 2325 would have provided funding to prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies. Although this bill failed to gain legislative approval, Senate Bill No. 2214, C.D. 1, a measure that provides comprehensive funding to respond to natural disasters, has been passed by the Legislature.
  
  

NEWS AND EVENTS

• January 31, 2010. Representative Robert N. Herkes' efforts to ensure medical care to the people of the Island of Hawaii brings assistance through a mobile medical van. (Article)

• Sept. 23, 2008. Farmers may need to be moved, says Representative Herkes. (Article)
  
  
• Oct. 24, 2007. Tourism legacy honored. (Article)
  
  
• June 16, 2006. Representative Herkes urges improved disaster preparedness efforts. (Article)