Sen. Inouye Selected to Join NCSL Smart Communities Foundation Partnership

Hawai`i State Senator Lorraine Inouye. Senate Communications photo.

The Hawa‘i Senate announces that Sen. Lorraine R. Inouye was selected as the only Hawai‘i legislator to participate in a new, invitation-only partnership project on smart communities.  The Smart Communities Foundation Partnership is a public-private partnership, organized through the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Foundation for State Legislatures. It brings together legislators, legislative staff and the private sector to explore the policies and programs that help create smart communities, and the role that states should play in coordinating and encouraging these efforts.

“I am honored and excited to be a part of this progressive thinking partnership and to be able to collaborate with lawmakers from other states on ways to improve the quality of life for our residents,” said Sen. Inouye, chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Energy. “While our communities continue to grow and our resources are shrinking, we need to be looking at ways to use advances in transportation, energy, and information technologies to enhance our quality of life, sustainability and resilience.”

The Smart Communities Foundation Partnership is a 1.5-year agreement, consisting of a steering committee of knowledgeable legislators and staff who will provide input and guidance on ways to improve the quality of life, economic opportunity and security for those who live in cities and surrounding areas.

As a member of the Steering Committee, Senator Inouye will be attending the first meeting of the Smart Communities Foundation Partnership next week in Denver, Colorado.

For more information on the Smart Communities Foundation Partnership: http://www.ncsl.org/aboutus/ncsl-foundation-for-state-legislatures/smart-communities-public-private-partnership.aspx