Will Espero (born November 6, 1960) is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

politician who served as a state senator for the 19th district of the State of Hawaiʻi from 2002 until 2018. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life and education

Born on November 6, 1960, at a United States naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, Espero is the son of Victor and Paulina Espero. Originally from Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, Victor served in the United States Navy for 21 years while his wife, Paulina, originally from Santiago, Ilocos Sur, Philippines, retired as a licensed practical nurse. As entrepreneurs, Victor and Paulina also operated a restaurant, catering service, and carehomes.Win With Will

Biography - Senator Will Espero. Growing up in a military family, Espero lived in Vallejo, California, Jacksonville, Florida, Athens, Georgia,

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, Oak Harbor, Washington, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Naples, Italy, and Yokosuka, Japan. Espero attended

Seattle University Seattle University (SeattleU) is a private Jesuit university in Seattle, Washington. Seattle University is the largest independent university in the Northwestern United States, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate prog ...

where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 1982. Later that year, he moved to Hawaiʻi and established a home. He worked in the finance and banking industry, property management, local home development, and the Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaiʻi. A few years later in 1987, he entered politics, working with former mayor Frank Fasi and his administration as the executive secretary of the City and County of Honolulu Neighborhood Commission.

Political career

From 1987 to 1994, Will Espero was an appointee of Mayor Frank Fasi. He was the executive secretary of the Neighborhood Commission in charge of Oahu's Neighborhood Boards. In December 1999, Espero was appointed to the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives by Governor Ben Cayetano to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of then-representative Paul Oshiro. In 2002, he ran a successful campaign and was elected into the Hawaiʻi State Senate.Espero for Congress

Espero for Congress - About Will, 2013. He represented District 20, which stretched from lower Waipahu, Hawaii, Waipahu to ʻEwa Beach, where Espero resides. After the reapportionment of Hawaiʻi's districts, Espero became the senator for District 19 which now includes 'Ewa Beach, Ocean Pointe, 'Ewa by Gentry, Iroquois Point, and a portion of 'Ewa Villages. Espero had formerly served as the Vice President of the Hawaiʻi Senate. He had also served as the Majority Floor Leader and Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs (PGM). He was a member of both the Committees on Transportation and International Affairs (TIA) and Ways and Means (WAM).

Leadership positions

* State Senator, 2000–2018Senator Will Espero

Hawaiʻi State Legislature. 2013. * Chair, Senate Housing Committee, 2016-2018 * Vice President, 2015–2016 * Majority Floor Leader, 2010–2015; 2017-2018 * Chair, Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, 2010–2015 * Co-chair, Transportation and International Affairs

Legislation introduced

* Act 094, SLH 2002 (main sponsor) - Hawaiʻi's version of Kelsey's Law * Act 101, SLH 2012 (main sponsor) - creates opportunities for space tourism in Hawaiʻi * Act 235, SLH 2012 (main sponsor) - appropriates funds for an advisory group for Honouliuli Camp Site, a World War 2 internment camp on Oahu, Hawaiʻi * Act 070, SLH 2011 (main sponsor) - designates Gold Star Family plates to the family members of fallen soldiers * Act 125, SLH 2011 (main sponsor) - requires persons convicted of violation of privacy in 1st degree & all persons convicted of promoting prostitution in 1st degree to register as sex offenders * Act 027, SLH 2010 (main sponsor) - requires Office of Veterans Services to ensure the burial & inurnment of veteran's remains who is without immediate surviving family members * Act 165, SLH 2010 (co-sponsor) - establishes the crime of intentionally or knowingly taking of a Hawaiian monk seal as a Class C felony * Act 160, SLH 2009 (co-sponsor) - clarifies animal cruelty law by prohibiting the confinements & restraining of a pet animal in a cruel or inhumane manner * Act 133, SLH 2008 (co-sponsor) - creates new misdemeanor offense of harassment by impersonation * Act 164, SLH 2008 (main sponsor) - allows the Hawaiʻi teacher standards board to suspend a teacher's license when the teacher has been convicted of sexual offenses & to initiate proceedings to permanently revoke their license * Act 127, SLH 2005 (main sponsor) - designates the path from Halawa landing to Waipahu as the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail

Community involvement

* 'Ewa Beach Boys and Girls Club, Board of Directors * Friends of the 'Ewa Beach Library, Founder and president * Friends of the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, Board of Directors * Mele Murals and Estria Foundation, Advisor * Operation Homefront of Hawaiʻi, Board member * Re-entry Collaborative Population Management, Board member * State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision, Board member * West Oahu Economic Development Association, Founder and board member * Workforce Development Council, Board member * Clean and Sober Homes and Halfway House Task Force, Member * Government Contracting Task Force, Member * 'Ewa Beach Lions Club, Member * 'Ewa Beach Community Trust Fund, Member * Steering Committee of the Hawaiʻi Justice Reinvestment Initiative, Member * Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee, Member * Correction Population Management Commission * 'Ewa Beach Community Association * 'Ewa by Gentry Community Association * 'Ewa Neighborhood Board * Hawaiʻi Fashion Month * Hawaiʻi Impaired Driving Task Force * Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision * Oahu Filipino Jaycees * Oahu Going Home - Reintegration of Ex-Offenders * Our Lady of Perpetual Help Knights of Columbus

Awards

* Civil Air Patrol, Certificate of Appreciation * 'Ewa Beach Lions Club, Distinguished Service Award * Kanu O Ka'aina, Certificate of Appreciation * Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, Certificate of Appreciation * 'Olelo Community Media, Certificate of Appreciation * USS Ronald Reagan, Honorary Naval Aviator on Board

2014 U.S. House of Representatives election

On Sunday, July 21, 2013, Espero announced his candidacy campaign for the 1st Congressional District of Hawaiʻi, the seat Hawaiʻi U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa vacated to run against Hawaiʻi U.S. Senator

Brian Schatz Brian Emanuel Schatz (; born October 20, 1972) is an American educator and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Hawaii, a seat he has held since 2012. A member of the Democratic Party, Schatz served in the Hawaii House o ...

.Garcia, Oksar

"The Associated Press." May 2, 2013. In the Democratic primary, Espero lost the party nomination to Mark Takai.

2018 lieutenant gubernatorial election

In September 2017, Espero tweeted that he would run for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. He lost the Democratic primary to his colleague Sen. Josh Green.

References

External links

Win With Will

Hawaiʻi State Legislature

Hawaiʻi Senator Will Espero
Willespero.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Espero, Will 1960 births Democratic Party Hawaii state senators Hawaii politicians of Filipino descent Living people Democratic Party members of the Hawaii House of Representatives American politicians of Filipino descent Asian-American people in Hawaii politics 21st-century American politicians