From Duke Aiona, Hawaii Family Advocates, February 7, 2017
The bully bills are moving and I wanted you to know how YOUR legislators voted on the issue. It's time we start holding these legislators accountable for their votes against the faith-based community!
HB663 (which requires all limited service pregnancy centers to disclose the availability of and enrollment information for reproductive health services) passed the House Health Committee today. This bill, if passed, would force faith-based pregnancy centers like Pearson Foundation, A Place for Women, Aloha Pregnancy Care & Counseling Centers, Malama Pregnancy Center on Maui to post information regarding abortion and contraceptive services.
YES VOTES: Representative(s) Belatti, Kobayashi, Morikawa, Todd.
NO VOTES: Representative(s) Har [585-8600], Oshiro [586-6700], Tupola [586-8465].
This bill will now move the House Judiciary.
On the Senate side, the companion bill, did not fare any better. SB501, passed a joint hearing of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection and Health and the Senate Judiciary.
YES VOTES: Senator(s) Keith-Agaran, K. Rhoads, L. Thielen, Baker, Nishihara, S. Chang, Espero, and Ihara.
NO VOTE: Senator Gabbard [586-6830]. Give him a call to thank him!
Senator(s) Kidani, Kim and Ruderman were excused and did not vote on the issue.
The bill will now move to the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
Action: We are posting the phone numbers of the brave legislators that voted no on these bills. Call their office to thank them for doing the right thing and supporting religious freedom!
Our counterpart in California, warns that passage will open doors for lawsuits as it has done in California. If these bills pass, it would force pro-life community pregnancy help centers to not only provide information about available abortion services, but promote abortion as an option. Many of these pregnancy centers are operated by Christian ministries and have deep religious objections to the abortion practice.
We will keep you posted.
Aloha Ke Akua,
Duke
HB663: Text, Status
SB501: Text, Status