The legislation (S.B. No. 3111, C.D. 1) establishing the Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink Commission stipulated that the Commission shall consist of fourteen members (see list), representing various groups and interests, who shall be appointed by the governor, speaker of the house of representatives, president of the senate, Maui county council, Honolulu city council, Kauai county council, and Hawaii county council.  The members do not receive compensation for their services.

Ten of the fourteen members were defined by the founding legislation as follows:

(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one representing the Japanese-American community and one representing the labor unions;

(2) Two by the president of the senate, one representing the civil rights community and one representing the feminist community;

(3) Two by the governor, one representing the Library of Congress (which holds a collection of Patsy T. Mink Papers) and one representing the Americans for Democratic Action (of which Patsy T. Mink served as president from 1978 to 1981); and

(4) One each by the Maui county council, Honolulu city council, Kauai county council, and Hawaii county council, one of whom would represent the Mink family, one of whom would represent the American Civil Liberties Union, and two of whom would represent the public.

The governor also appointed the remaining four members, whose affiliation or representation was not specifically designated in the legislation.  These four members were chosen from the following organizations, with the expectation that they may be involved in safekeeping property received by the Commission and/or providing land or space for exhibits planned by the Commission: Bishop Museum, Hawaii State Public Library System, Department of Accounting and General Services–Archives Division, and Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Click here for a list of current and former Commission members.