About
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Jamie Detwiler
Aloha! I am a licensed social worker in Hawaii. I was born and raised in Waimanalo and Kaneohe, and graduated from James B. Castle High School. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and a Master's degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Social Work.
I have worked in the private and government sector in various positions of Advocacy, retiring in 2020 after a successful career in Federal Service. Additionally, I have been a conference guest lecturer for various professional healthcare organizations on the subject matter of critical incident response trauma support.
I am passionate about family, faith, and freedom. I have been married for 35 years to retired Honolulu Fire Captain, Neal Detwiler and a resident of Mililani for the past 34 years. Neal and I are blessed with 4 children and 9 grandchildren.
I enjoy spending time with family, community service, lei making, floral design, traveling, gardening, and trying new recipes.
Putting Hawaii First
Focusing on what really matters. Family, Freedom, and Government Transparency
Government Transparency and Accountability
In 1998, I swore an oath of office as a Federal Civilian that I continue to live by today.
Likewise, I will continue to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Hawaii State Constitution.
I believe that all political power of this State is inherent in the people and the responsibility for the exercise thereof rests with the people. Our rights are slowly being taken away by mandates, lockdowns, medical tyranny, and parental rights. Corruption must not be tolerated.
I will continue to fight for freedom. I am committed to being honorable as your public servant - by listening to and respecting others, communicating openly and honestly with my constituents and being held responsible for my actions.
Energy and Food Security
As a Hawaii House representative, I would introduce legislation pertaining to the Jones Act Reformation at the state level similar to a resolution submitted by Maui County Councilmember, Mike Molina.
Noting that Hawaii's significant supply of oil from Russia had been cut off because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the resolution states, "for both strategic and economic reasons, the best replacement for Russian oil imports is domestic supply."
The resolution goes on to state, "temporarily exempting Hawaii from Jones Act requirements could help stabilize costs for fuel, building materials, affordable housing, delivery of costs for small business, household items like batteries, canned food and toiletries, and other goods and services."
In a separate statement, Keli'i Akina, president and CEO of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, "Especially now, with Hawaii losing access to as much as a third of its oil imports from Russia, Hawaii residents need speedy and inexpensive access to U.S. oil sources, which the Jones Act has made uneconomical because of its rules against shipping competition."
By adding state-level support to Jones Act resolutions being endorsed at the county level, there will be greater pressure on our federal delegates to seek positive change for the people of Hawaii.
Tax Reformation and Economy
I am committed to taking action to grow and diversify our economy while upholding fiscal accountability and responsibility.
I will introduce tax reform as recommended in the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii's policy brief, "Road map to prosperity: How Hawaii can recover and even excel after the coronavirus lockdown" issued on May 22, 2020, and mobilize my fellow legislators to support it.
According to the brief, policymakers need to embrace the principles of economic freedom so as to encourage entrepreneurship, labor mobility, opportunity, and prosperity. That would include removing taxes, regulations and other public policies that stand in the way.
Homelessness and Rehabilitation
There are several reasons as to why someone ends up homeless, including sudden job loss or family breakdown, severe substance abuse or mental health problems. Most homelessness policies work on the premise that the homeless person must sort those problems out first before they can obtain housing.
I will introduce a bill to address the homeless problem in Hawaii based on a proven model from Central Arizona that understands that shelter is where support begins. The Arizona program provides more than just a place to sleep. This model is effective because it provides wrap-around case management and supportive services to stabilize clients, help them find employment and help them move into permanent housing.
The key strategy will include collaborating and coordinating with multiple agencies to provide comprehensive services without duplicating resources.
Fighting Crime and Neighborhood Security
Rallied with fellow citizens and submitted a written request to Gov. Ige to veto HB 1567, No bail for crimes such as theft, smash and grab robberies, and Class C felonies. This bill was passed by the Legislature and was scheduled to be signed into law by the Governor. Citizens mobilized to petition the Governor to veto this bill. In the end, the Governor vetoed this bill.
In collaboration with the Honolulu Police Department, raise awareness and introduce a bill to increase awareness about crime and neighborhood safety. Toward that goal, I will introduce a bill to increase awareness and engage with the community to promote Neighborhood Watch Programs statewide. The Honolulu Police Department says these community groups can make all the difference.
Additionally, I will work with my fellow Legislators to promote support for our law enforcement officers as they are dedicated to promoting local, state, and federal policies that protect public safety.
Education and Parental Rights
I support a well-rounded education curriculum that includes a rigorous classical education in the arts and sciences. As a parent and now a grandparent of school-age children, I join many citizens in preventing government overreach, indoctrination, and grooming of our children by some legislators and educators.
On May 7, 2022, I joined many parents and grandparents at the Hawaii State Capitol to protest HB 1697, a bill relating to sexual education. This bill would require DOE to provide comprehensive training for teachers and educational officers on sexual health topics include teaching K-12 students about their sexuality, gender, relationships, and sexual and reproductive health. Many teachers were not aware of this bill and were appalled when they learned about it. Most educators are committed to making sure that their students are academically prepared to succeed.
Sexual health topics have no place in public schools. It is the responsibility of a parent/guardian to teach their children about sex when that parent deems it appropriate, NOT the Department of Education. Also, the teaching of sexuality and sexual identification is not the teaching of health and wellness as some legislators and educators would like us to believe.
A bill relating to sexual education will most likely be presented in the 2023 Legislative session. I am committed to representing your voice and preventing the sexualization of our most innocent population.
