from Hawaii Family Forum, April 7, 2023

WEEKLY RECAP

Bill to Reduce Suicides in the State Passes Final Senate Committee(s)

The committee(s) on JDC/WAM held a public decision-making on 04-04-23. HB622 SD1 acknowledges that Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have a higher rate of suicide compared to other ethnicities such as Caucasians, Japanese, and Filipinos.  This bill ensures that a strategic plan is developed and maintained to reduce suicides in the State, with particular focus on the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

We submitted testimony in SUPPORT.

On April 4, 2023, a joint committee hearing of the Senate Judiciary and the Senate Ways and Means passed the bill unamended.  The votes were as follows:

The votes in WAM were as follows: 
11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Keith-Agaran, Aquino, DeCoite, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, Wakai, Fevella; 
2 Excused: Senator(s) Moriwaki, Shimabukuro.

The votes in JDC were as follows: 
5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Elefante, San Buenaventura, Awa; 

STATUS:  The bill will now move to the full Senate for a vote.  We appreciate the legislators support for reducing suicides in Hawaii.  As Christians, we continue to believe that all lives are worthy of support.

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines

APR 13 – SECOND CROSSOVER (BILLS) – Deadline for bills to pass third reading in their non-originating chamber and to “cross back” to the originating chamber. 

APR 13 – LAST DAY FOR THE ORIGINATING BODY TO DISAGREE WITH BILL AMENDMENTS – The deadline for the originating chamber to disagree with changes made to its bills by the other chamber. When the Senate and House disagree on a bill, members from each chamber can meet in conference committees to reconcile their differences. 

APR 17 – SECOND LATERAL FOR SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS – All Senate concurrent resolutions (SCRs) with multiple referrals must move to their final committee in the non-originating chamber (the House) by this day. (Must be filed by Friday, April 14.) 

APR 21 – DEADLINE FOR FINAL FORM OF BILLS PROPOSING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS – A proposed amendment’s final form must be provided by written notice to the Governor prior to passing final reading by a 2/3 vote in each chamber. Once adopted by the Legislature, the proposed amendment is submitted to the voters, in the form of a ‘yes or no’ question on the ballot, for ultimate decision.

Triple "F" Show: Faith and Family First

SCOTUS Vacates Chapman v. Doe

Originally aired: April 7, 2023

In this episode, Jim and Eva discuss how in June 2022 the US Supreme Court ruled in its Dobbs decision that there is no constitutional right to abortion.  As such, it recently vacated Chapman vs. Doe, a lower court case that ruled underage girls possess a constitutional right to abortion without parental notification. Only one justice dissented in the Chapman case, Ketanji Brown Jackson.  What does this mean and does it affect a minors role in consent?

TAKE ACTION!

Congressman Ed Case Seeks Community Input

We encourage active participation of people in the community.  To that end, we are forwarding a request from Congressman Ed Case's Office.  He is looking for input from the community.

From this recent email:

As always, I seek your guidance to ensure I’m properly focused. May I please ask you to take a few minutes to complete this anonymous online survey here. Please feel free to use the survey to add any additional input on any issue. Please note that as this is anonymous, I won’t be able to respond directly to you on any survey questions or comments. So if you’d like me to respond specifically, please mail me directly at ed.case@mail.house.gov.

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ENEWS FROM CONGRESSMAN CASE

WEEKLY WORD OF HOPE

Today is Good Friday

Although "it is finished," this is not the end.  For those of us who believe, His death on the cross was to ensure our ability to access true grace, mercy and forgiveness.

Two thousand years later, we who worship the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for our salvation, gather at each service to "do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22: 19).  For people of faith, we celebrate freedom from the darkness of our sin and brings us to the Light of His eternal Kingdom. 

People that receive this great gift of God will never be the same.