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The National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators (NAPACSL) is comprised of 169 state legislators from 33 states across the country and is a collective effort to bring in Asian American and Pacific Islander perspectives on policies that affect their communities, including economic development, educational equity and culturally competent services such as health care.

NAPACSL Goals

  • To serve as a national network to facilitate the discussion, dissemination, and exchange of ideas and information among Asian American and Pacific Islander state legislators and their staffs.

  • To improve the effectiveness of Asian American and Pacific Islander state legislators to positively affect the quality of life for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

  • To inform and educate other elected officials, government officials, and the public regarding topics and issues of common cause to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, including, but not limited to, health care, language access, labor, education, economic development, immigration and trade.

  • To educate Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders regarding the availability of appointed and elected offices at all levels of government and to advocate for the hiring and promotion of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to positions of influence in the private sector.

  • To increase the active participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the political and electoral process through voter education and registration and/or educational seminars in local jurisdictions about the functioning of government.

  • To educate and develop a support infrastructure with other caucuses, other levels of government departments and agencies, businesses and industries, school boards, labor and civil organizations, and other interested stakeholders.

NAPACSL Leadership

NAPACSL is led by an Executive Committee, made up of five state legislators, and a Steering Committee, comprised of the Executive Committee and co-chairs of each of the three standing policy committees.

Executive Committee Members

  • Chair: Rep. Kyle Yamashita, Hawaii
  • Vice Chair: Assemblymember Raj Mukherji, New Jersey
  • Second Vice Chair: Delegate Kriselda Valderrama, Maryland
  • Secretary: Sen. Brian Taniguchi, Hawaii
  • Treasurer: Sen. Scott Kawasaki, Alaska

Policy Committees

Economic Development and Trade Committee

  • Co-Chair: Delegate Mark Keam, Virginia
  • Co-Chair: Sen. Lorraine Inouye, Hawaii

Education Committee

  • Co-Chair: Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Washington
  • Co-Chair: Sen. Michelle Kidani, Hawaii

Health, Human Services and Housing Committee

  • Co-Chair: Sen. Tina Maharath, Ohio
  • Co-Chair: Rep. Ryan Yamane, Hawaii

Special Committee on Anti-Asian Bias and Xenophobia

  • Co-Chair: Rep. Fue Lee, Minnesota
  • Co-Chair: Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Washington

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