Representing Kailua and Waimanalo, Representative Chris Lee currently serves as Chair of the Committee
on Judiciary (JUD). Lee previously chaired the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection (EEP)
from 2012-2018. Representative Lee was born and raised in Kailua. He attended 'Iolani School, and
later Oregon State University.
In 2013 Chris stepped up to help lead the campaign to pass marriage equality in Hawaii. In spite of
receiving a death threat for his public role as a spokesperson for the campaign, he fought on to help
make Hawaii the 15th state to pass same-sex marriage. He then took on climate change and passed a law
making Hawaii the first state to require all electricity to come from 100% renewable energy, and statewide
carbon neutrality by 2045.
Chris has taken a proactive role successfully authoring and passing important laws to protect victims of
domestic violence, keep guns out of the wrong hands, protect our environment from polluters, make adapting
to climate change a priority, fix public schools, protect workers from exploitation, reduce the cost of
living for local families, and address the corrosive influence of money in politics.
Lee also successfully helped organize the campaign to expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
into the world's largest marine protected area, and successfully led the opposition to defeat a $4.3 billion
takeover of Hawaii's electric utilities by Florida-based Nextera Energy, which would have added billions in
cost to local electric bills.
He was named national "Best Policymaker" by the US Green Building Council Center for Green Schools, and has
been supported by Barack Obama for his role making Hawaii a national leader on climate and energy policy.