Why Does Hawaii Have an Acting Governor?

Hawaii suffered because of severe wind-fueled wildfires, spreading at a rapid rate. The fires have created havoc in the residential islands of the state, causing people to evacuate immediately. Due to the intense escalation of these wildfires, the death toll has risen to an alarming level.

The primary reason for these fuming fires is the dry winds carrying the destructive flames. The island coordinates are placed between the high-pressure to the North and the low-pressure system in Dora. This difference in air pressure has created strong Tradewinds, while Hurricane Dora has been a catalyst for the deadly fires.

To get the situation under control, the acting Governor of Hawaii, Sylvia Luke, has signed an emergency proclamation. This includes deploying National Guard to aid the emergency responders.

Hawaii’s acting Governor has issued the emergency proclamation since Gov. Josh Green has been traveling out of state since July 30 and would b be returning after August 15. The acting Governor, Luke, will be overlooking the duties for the time being.

Why Does Hawaii Have an Acting Governor? What Is the Meaning of Acting Governor?

Hawaii’s local government functions differently from the other U.S. states. The government structure consists of only two levels:

• The State Government.
• The four individual counties where each has a mayor and a council.

Note: There are no municipal governments.

By Hawaiian law, the state does not have any fixed cabinet positions. The Governor of Hawaii has the authority to form his own cabinet and departments; the only condition is that the executive department must not contain more than 20 members. The Governor also has the power to remove any of the members, with the exception of the attorney.

Since the Governor has so much jurisdiction, the Hawaiian state has made provisions in case the Governor is absent. In such cases, the lieutenant governor will be assigned these duties and will be deemed the “acting governor.” The Governor will resume their duty after they are back.

Who Is the Acting Governor of Hawaii?

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke is the acting Governor of Hawaii. Governor Josh Green, M.D. has been absent from the office since he has been traveling out of state from Sunday, July 30, and will return Tuesday, August 15.

After Hurricane Dora wreaked havoc on the island, acting governor Luke had to cancel her traveling plans out of the state on August 8. She is now solely responsible for directing state affairs and deploying the necessary forces to help the citizens. Governor Josh will be resuming his duties on August 15.

The emergency proclamation signed by Governor Luke will authorize the following measures–

• Activation of the National Guard.
• Authorizes appropriate actions by the director of the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency.
• Issue immediate actions by the Administrator of Emergency Management.
• Sanction expenditure of state general revenue funds for relief of conditions created by Hurricane Dora.

Hoping Hawaii breathes a sigh of relief as soon as possible.

What are your thoughts on the Hawaiian emergency? What is your take on the acting Governor? Let us know in the comments section below.