A state Senate committee rejected Gov. Josh Green’s appointment to lead the state’s Division of Company, Financial Improvement and Tourism on Thursday.

The Senate Committee on Power, Financial Improvement and Tourism voted four-1 not to propose Chris Sadayasu, who has been acting director because appointment, for the position.

Regardless of the refusal of advisement, Sadayasu’s confirmation will nevertheless go just before the complete Senate for final approval or denial.

The vast DBEDT oversees some of the state’s biggest projects like Aloha Stadium, tourism management, inexpensive housing improvement and extra.

Through the relatively private hearing, senators questioned Sadayasu’s leadership of Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority contracts, especially a move earlier this year, when Sadayasu took it into his hands to situation a request for proposals for promoting the North America industry, with out HTA consultation.

Senators also questioned Sadayasu’s commitment to the job. In 1 instance, Sen. Kurt Favella of Oʻahu spoke critically of Sadayasu leaving an HTA board meeting early in December for his father-in-law’s funeral.

Later in the hearing, committee Chair Sen. Lynn DeCoite of Maui stated she was “concerned” with his spotty attendance, recounting one more meeting in which the acting director left early to see the musical “Hamilton.”

“Yikes, you ought to have, in my opinion, planned improved,” DeCoite stated.

An lawyer by trade, Sadayasu previously worked in the Division of the Lawyer Common. Prior to that, he was a tourism brand manager for HTA.

“The selection to not guidance and consent was not private. I think the person has credential but in the approach of attempting to deal with diverse agencies, I am extremely concerned,” Decoite closed out the meeting.

Earlier this week, the identical committee advisable the confirmation of DBEDT deputy director Dane Wicker.

This is the second of the governor’s cabinet appointees to in the end be rejected by the 1st hearing committee.