From Hawaii Family Forum, January 29, 2016

CHANGE IN HOUSE ASSIGNMENTS

The Majority Leader, Rep. Scott Saiki, notified us of the following changes for the 2016 legislature:

• Representative Gregg Takayama has been removed as a member of the Labor and Public Employment Committee.
• Representative Matt LoPresti has been removed as a member of the Education and Higher Education Committees.   He has been added as a member of the Finance Committee.
• Representative Feki Pouha has replaced Representative Andria Tupola as the Minority Floor Leader.

Public Access Room Provides Updated Resources for Participation in the Legislative Process

The PAR has made it easy to download whatever information you need to participate.  Visit this link and you can download forms like the session calendar, How a Bill Becomes Law, House and Senate Directories, and much more.

Physician Assisted Suicide, Gambling, Religious Freedom and Other Bills Introduced

January 27, 2016 was the last day to introduce bills.  A bill is “introduced” when it has been filed with the House or Senate Clerk, who gives it a number (with an HB or SB prefix) and then puts it on the calendar for First Reading by the chamber. After First Reading (which is a formal reading and does not denote a legislators particular position on the bill), it is given its committee referrals which specify which committees must hear and pass the measure for it to succeed. Only legislators may introduce bills. [Note: At introduction, each bill is given a “Bill Status” webpage that can be accessed via the Legislature’s website (capitol.hawaii.gov) and used to track all the measure’s activity.]

Thousands of bills are introduced PLUS there are carry over bills from last session which are technically still alive.  This list is just a quick reference of some of the bills that we noted as introduced.  When a bill gets a hearing, we will let you know how you can make your voice heard.  This list is not exhaustive.  There will be other bills that we end up tracking as well.  This list is just to give you an idea of what is out there for this session.

• A bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide (SB2373) was introduced by Senator(s) INOUYE, DELA CRUZ, RUDERMAN, Galuteria, Wakai
• A bill to promote better end of life care (palliative care) and hospice (SB 3010) was introduced by Senator(s) GREEN, KIM, SHIMABUKURO and WAKAI
• At least 34 bills were introduced relating to medical marijuana.  A few included recreational marijuana.
• Several bills were introduced relating to comprehensive sex education.
• A bill to legalize a lottery in Hawaii (SB2626) was introduced by Senator Espero that authorizes DCCA to license a single lottery operator to operate a lottery in the State to serve community betterment purposes including addressing homelessness and healthcare issues, as well as funding public education.  The House Version (HB1830) was introduced by SOUKI, ITO, MIZUNO, DeCoite, Ing, Luke, McKelvey, San Buenaventura and includes KENO.
• Both the House (HB1675 - introduced by BELATTI, CREAGAN, ING, C. LEE, LOPRESTI, LOWEN, SAIKI, TAKUMI ) and Senate (SB2615 introduced by KIDANI, BAKER, CHUN OAKLAND, ESPERO, HARIMOTO, NISHIHARA, RUDERMAN, Dela Cruz, Ihara, Shimabukuro, Wakai) have introduced bills that prohibits teachers and persons who are licensed to provide professional counseling from engaging in or advertising sexual orientation change efforts on students and persons under eighteen years of age.

• Two House Members (HB2181 introduced by Rep. McDermott) and (HB2532 introduced by Rep. Pouha) introduced bills that protect the free exercise of religious beliefs and moral convictions by prohibiting the State from taking any discriminatory action against a person based on the person's sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction. Provides a cause of action for a violation of the Act.