HONOLULU - The organization of the state House of Representatives for the 2009-10 term has one Maui lawmaker excited about the possibilities and another questioning whether she'll be effective as chairwoman of a new committee on Hawaiian Affairs, The Maui News reported today.

Rep. Calvin K.Y. Say, who retained his role as speaker, yesterday announced his leadership team, committee chairmanships and assignments for the 25th Legislature, which opens Jan. 21.

Rep. Mele Carroll, who lives in Haiku, was appointed chairwoman of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee, a role she said she will "gladly accept." But she said that Say had not consulted her about the appointment.

"For me, there is a miscommunication or lack of communication," Carroll said.

She said she's always been interested in advancing Hawaiian issues at the Legislature, but she disagrees with Say's decision to transfer Hawaiian Affairs from its natural resources "bracket" to human services.

In a statement sent by e-mail, Say noted that he created a separate Hawaiian Affairs Committee because Carroll had requested that it be formed. In the past term, Carroll was a member of a more comprehensive committee within the natural resources bracket - the Water, Land, Ocean Resources and Hawaiian Affairs Committee.

"I selected Representative Carroll as the chair of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee because I have much confidence in her abilities. We were unable to personally connect before the meeting, but as I indicated to Representative Carroll, we placed the Hawaiian Affairs Committee in the human services bracket because the Hawaiian community faces many problems with health and other human services issues," he said.

"Given her strong presence in the Hawaiian community and interest in Hawaiian issues, I think she will make an excellent chair."

Carroll said that, as a former Hawaiian caucus chair, she believes Say's assignment makes no sense and shows disregard for representatives of Hawaiian agencies, who will have to testify at both committee brackets.

"I basically believe the Hawaiian issues are being shafted," she said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Angus McKelvey of Lahaina was named chairman of a new Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business and Military Affairs.

McKelvey, who easily won a second term to represent the 10th District, West Maui-North Kihei, said he looked forward to his new responsibilities.

"This is going to be the policymaking body to address the state's economy. It's going to be a tough challenge, but I'm excited about the opportunity," he said.

McKelvey will also be on the Judiciary Committee; Tourism, Culture & International Affairs Committee; Agriculture Committee; and Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee.

A Maui legislator who was offered no leadership posts said he was gratified. Rep. Joe Bertram III, who was re-elected to the 11th District representing South Maui, said he found that being a vice chairman of the Higher Education Committee in the last term involved "shuffling paperwork . . . you don't make any decisions on what gets on the agenda."

Having no posts in the coming term means he will have more time to focus on the legislation that he is supporting.

"I'd just rather work on the bills that are important to me. I'm an indian, basically a grunt who does the work. There's got to be grunts out there, and I'm happy to do it," he said.

Among other issues, he said, he will support dedicating funds for charter schools and requiring the Department of Education to provide support services to charter schools.

Bertram said he also will pursue reviving the ability of counties to consider a half-percent increase in the state general excise tax to provide for improved public transit services. The City and County of Honolulu was the only county to adopt the tax to support its proposed rail transit project.

"We need to support transit, and it needs to be a dedicated source of funding," Bertram said. "We're already paying it since Honolulu has it and a lot of it is passed through from Honolulu businesses."

In a telephone call, Carroll said she planned to follow up on her situation with a letter to Say to express her thoughts about the committee assignment. She had written to Say on Wednesday asking that he meet with her personally. She said she didn't know she was being considered for Hawaiian Affairs chair until Thursday's caucus, where it apparently had already been decided.

In her letter to Say on Wednesday, Carroll explained that her decision to not immediately commit to supporting him as the House speaker "was never meant to hurt you, but only to constructively make recommendations and suggestions as to how we as a body can come together."

Carroll was unopposed for re-election to the 13th District, which comprises East Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kalaupapa and Kahoolawe. Carroll was also appointed to four other committes: Health, Human Services, Education and Higher Education.

For other Maui legislators, the assignments are:

* Rep. Joe Souki, 8th District, Wailuku-Waikapu, will remain chairman of the Transportation Committee. He also will be a member of the Judiciary Committee, Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee and Public Safety Committee.

* Rep. Bob Nakasone, 9th District, Kahului-Lower Paia, is vice chairman of the Labor Committee. He will be a member of Finance Committee, Transportation Committee and Public Safety Committee.

* Rep. Kyle Yamashita, 12th District, Upcountry, will be a member of the Finance Committee; Energy & Environmental Protection Committee; Housing Committee; and Water, Land & Ocean Resources Committee.

* Bertram is a member of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee, Education Committee, Higher Education Committee, Health Committee and Human Services Committee.

* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.