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

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

In spite of the refusal of advisement, Sadayasu’s confirmation will nonetheless go ahead of the complete Senate for final approval or denial.

The vast DBEDT oversees some of the state’s biggest projects which includes Aloha Stadium, tourism management, economical housing improvement and additional.

For the duration of the relatively individual hearing, senators questioned Sadayasu’s leadership of Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority contracts, particularly a move earlier this year, when Sadayasu took it into his hands to challenge a request for proposals for advertising the North America market place, devoid of 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 greater,” DeCoite stated.

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

“The choice to not tips and consent was not individual. I think the person has credential but in the method of attempting to deal with diverse agencies, I am pretty concerned,” Decoite closed out the meeting.

Earlier this week, the very same committee suggested 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 initially hearing committee.