HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii’s governor has announced the appointment of two new state cabinet members, including a replacement for a department director who submitted his resignation after a two-month leave.
Democratic Gov. David Ige said Monday he appointed a new interim director of the state Department of Taxation and an acting director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Anne E. Perreira-Eustaquio will serve as director of the labor and industrial relations department for 60 days or until the position is permanently filled.
She has served as deputy director of the labor department since October 2019 following various roles in the department’s unemployment division.
Perreira-Eustaquio’s appointment follows the departure of Scott Murakami, who resigned his position as labor and industrial relations director Wednesday.
Murakami became the labor director in January 2019 and took a leave of absence June 1. Perreira-Eustaquio has overseen the department since Murakami’s leave began.
“Scott was under a tremendous amount of stress and I felt that he deserved some time off,” Ige said Monday. “He has decided to resign from his position, and I respect that.”
Ige announced Isaac Choy will take over the taxation department effective immediately, although his appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
Choy is a licensed certified public accountant who served in the state House of Representatives from 2008 to 2018. His most recent position has been as controller of Koolauloa Health Center, where he oversaw compliance and regulatory reporting.
“Isaac has the experience and foundation to lead our taxation department during these difficult and uncertain times,” Ige said.
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