WEEKLY RECAP
From Hawaii Family Forum, Feb 7, 2021
Abortion Expansion Bill PASSES Hearing in House Health Committee
Today, February 5, 2021, the House Health, Human Services and Homelessness Committee received virtual testimony on the bill that would allow Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to participate in abortion.
This bill is tricky because the Hawaii's nurses associations, Planned Parenthood, and a few practicing (and a few retired) OB/GYNs in the state testified in support. You can watch the whole hearing at this link (begin at 50:58). As usual, Hawaii Family Forum with a small contingent of life organizations, testified in opposition. A few of our people notified us that they were unable to log onto the zoom meeting.
The board of nursing requested the bill be amended to include that "board approved specified training" be made available to any nurse doing the abortion. The ACLU testified that the bill is necessary to "comply with the federal and state constitutions." They believe having a physician be the only one to provide abortions is "legally suspect." Calling into question "legal protections problems" and "constitutional privacy concerns." In another interesting turn, without providing any concrete numbers, Planned Parenthood reported that 10% of their patients (and they couldn't give a total amount) need to fly to Oahu to receive abortion services. In addition, when asked by Rep. Gene Ward to provide concrete abortion numbers, they said they could not provide any numbers and deferred to the Department of Health who was not on the call.
To read the bill, see which legislator introduced the bill and read about its potential ramifications, please click this link.
STATUS: The House committees on Health, Human Services and Homelessness recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows:
6 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamane, Tam, Har, Kapela, LoPresti, Nishimoto; Ayes with reservations: none;
1 Noes: Representative(s) Ward; and
1 Excused: Representative(s) Gates.
The bill will now move to the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. It is NOT scheduled for hearing yet, but we expect it will be soon.
Gambling Bill Scheduled for Hearing in the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee
Say No to Gambling on Hawaiian Homelands.
SB 1321, the bill to establish a stand alone casino on Hawaiian homelands has been scheduled for hearing on Thursday, February 11.
ACTION: Click here to take action if you live in the district of one of the members of the committee.
If you don't live in the district of one of these committee members, please call their office and let them know that you do not want gambling on Hawaiian homelands.
Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs
Shimabukuro, Maile S.L.
senshimabukuro@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-7793
586-7797
Keohokalole, Jarrett
senkeohokalole@capitol.hawaii.gov
587-7215
587-7220
Ihara, Jr., Les
senihara@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6250
586-6251
Acasio, Laura
senacasio@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6760
586-6689
Fevella, Kurt
senfevella@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6360
586-6361
Senate Schedules bills which highlight APRN's support of participating in abortion & assisted suicide
Expanding abortion and assisted suicide in Hawaii! Just say no.
The Senate Health Committee has scheduled these two bills for hearing next week Wednesday, February 10, 2021. Click the bill numbers below to get more information on the bills and view talking points.
ACTION: Call these members of the Senate Health Committee and ask them to vote NO on both bills: (In a polite and respectful manner, simply leave your name and address, tell them you oppose the bill and give them the bill #. They may ask you if are a constituent so if you are NOT a constituent, please be honest.)
Senate Health Committee
Keohokalole, Jarrett
senkeohokalole@capitol.hawaii.gov
587-7215
587-7220
Baker, Rosalyn H.
senbaker@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6070
586-6071
Moriwaki, Sharon Y.
senmoriwaki@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6740
586-6829
San Buenventura, Joy
sensanbuenaventura@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6890
586-6899
Fevella, Kurt
senfevella@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6360
586-6361
SB 839, (assisted suicide expansion bill) which authorizes advanced practice registered nurses, in addition to physicians, to practice medical aid in dying in accordance with their scope of practice and prescribing authority. Authorizes psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, in addition to psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers, to provide counseling to a qualified patient. Reduces the mandatory waiting period between oral requests from twenty days to fifteen days. Waives the mandatory waiting period for those terminally ill individuals not expected to survive the mandatory waiting period.
SB 624 (abortion expansion bill) Authorizes licensed physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses to perform certain abortions.
Senate Education Committee to Hear Bill on State Lottery
Hawaii Does Not Need a Lottery
The Senate Education Committee has scheduled a hearing on SB 816 (Relating to a State Lottery) for Wednesday, February 10 at 3:05 p.m. Click this link for more information about the bill.
SB 816 (introduced by Senator(s) KIDANI, KANUHA, Keith-Agaran, Nishihara, San Buenaventura, Shimabukuro) creates a state lottery to begin by 1/1/2022. Creates the state lottery commission, state lottery account, and lottery administration account. Requires certain amounts of lottery revenues to be deposited into the administrative account, general fund, and special funds for university facilities and operations and public school operations.
ACTION:
To see the hearing notice and submit online testimony in opposition, click this link.
To read more about the bill click this link.
Contact the Senate Education Committee and ask them to vote NO on SB 816. If you live in the district of one of the Senators below, you can send a message at this link!
Kidani, Michelle N.
senkidani@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-7100
586-7109
Kim, Donna Mercado
senkim@capitol.hawaii.gov
587-7200
587-7205
Dela Cruz, Donovan M.
sendelacruz@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6090
586-6091
Kanuha, Dru Mamo
senkanuha@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-9385
586-9391
Fevella, Kurt
senfevella@capitol.hawaii.gov
586-6360
586-6361
Faith in Politics Podcast
NATIONAL NEWS, LOCAL NEWS and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JIM
In this episode Eva Andrade discusses the separation of church and state with local attorney Jim Hochberg.
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