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Republican Rep. Barbara Marumoto, the second most senior member of the state House of Representatives behind Speaker Calvin Say, will not return to the chamber after her term expires this year.
Marumoto (R, Kalani Valley-Diamond Head) announced her retirement in a statement Tuesday.
"It has been an honor to serve in the House of Representatives and a privilege to serve the good people of the state of Hawaii," she said. "I will be at my desk until the general election and continue to work in the community thereafter."
Asked to elaborate, Marumoto said "lots of reasons — probably every reason" played into her decision.
"But I can spend more time with my family," she said.
Marumoto, 72, was first elected to the House in 1978 and served continously from East Oahu through three redistricting periods.
She said the most recent redistricting plan, which places her in the same district as another incumbent, Democratic Rep. Mark Hashem, played a part in her decision. "The lines are drawn to cut my district in half," she said. "So unless I could clone myself it’s difficult to run for both."
Marumoto is the second of the House GOP’s eight-member caucus to announce plans to leave after this year. Rep. Kymberly Pine (R, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) is running for City Council.
Rep. Gene Ward, the House minority leader, said the House Republicans lost a great leader and stateswoman in Marumoto, who will be remembered as one of the most outspoken opponents of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s proposed tax on retirees’ pensions.
Marumoto served on several key committees, including Finance, Judiciary and Consumer Protection and Commerce. She was named Legislatorof the Year in 1992 by the National Republican Legislators Association and in 2009 by the Hawaii Medical Association.
"Rep. Marumoto will be missed," state GOP Chairman David Chang said in a statement. "Her steady presence and leadership at the Capitol as well as her dedication to her community and the state of Hawaii has been truly exemplary."
Majority Democrats also wished her well.
"On behalf of the House, we wish Rep. Barbara Marumoto all the best in her retirement," said Rep. Pono Chong, House majority leader. "Rep. Marumoto has served East Honolulu with distinction, and it is with respect that we thank her for her many years of dedicated public service."
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