Green was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives on November 2, 2004 and served two terms before being elected to the Hawaii State Senate in 2008 where he previously chaired the Committee on Health and currently serves as the Majority Floor Leader. Green championed the initiative to create an insurance mandate for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the legislation known as "Luke's Law" went into effect on January 1, 2016. He also led the charge in raising the legal age to obtain tobacco products and electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21, making Hawaii the first state to do so. In addition to his work in the State Legislature, Green is also an emergency department physician at Kohala Hospital on Hawaii Island. Green won the Democratic primary as his party's nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii and was the running mate of incumbent Democratic Governor David Ige. They both won the general election on November 6, 2018. Ige tasked Green with addressing the chronic homeless crisis in Hawaii, calling on him to use his background as a physician to address the complex issues such as mental illness and addiction which affect the homeless at high rates in Hawaii.
Personal life
Green is Jewish. In 2006 Green married Jaime Ushiroda. They have two children, Maia and Sam. Green came to Hawaii to serve in the National Health Service Corps as a physician for the Big Island. He has remained a physician in Hawaii’s rural emergency departments while serving in public office.
Awards and achievements
2015 Autism Speaks Legislative Champion
2014 Advocacy Award, HAFP
2013 HMA Legislator of the Year – vineo Video
2013 ACOG Hawaii Legislator of the Year
2012 Healthcare Association of Hawaii Legislator of the Year
2009/2010 HMA Hawaii Physician of the Year
2009 Legislator of the Year, Hawaii Dental Association
2008 Outstanding Elected Leader, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii
2014 Green was re-elected to a four-year term in the State Senate on November 4, 2014 with 82.46% of the vote. He was named Majority Floor Leader and continued to chair the Senate Health Committee, and also served as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee and Human Services Committee.
2012 Green was unopposed for the August 11, 2012 Democratic Primary, winning with 5,981 votes, and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 11,351 votes against Republican nominee Jeff Lafrance.
2006 Green was unopposed for both the September 26, 2006 Democratic Primary, winning with 1,798 votes, and the November 7, 2006 General election.
2004 Challenging incumbent Republican State Representative Mark Jernigan, Green was unopposed for the September 18, 2004 Democratic Primary, winning with 1,698 votes. Green won the November 2, 2004 General election with 4,337 votes against Jernigan.
