From Hawaii Family Forum, March 23, 2018

Assisted Suicide Clears Last Committee: Headed for Full Senate Vote

The assisted suicide bill passed unamended by the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The bill now heads to the full Senate for a vote.

The votes in JDC were as follows:

4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Taniguchi, K. Rhoads, Kim, L. Thielen;

1 No(es): Senator(s) Gabbard; and 0 Excused: none.

ACTION: Contact your Senator and ask them to VOTE NO ON HB2739 HD1 when they vote on the floor for final reading.  Click here to send message to your Senator.

Palliative Care Resolution

A Resolution ​​​​​​(HCR 118) ​requesting the Department of Health to convene a working group to examine palliative care services and develop recommendations to expand palliative care services in Hawai'i was passed unamended by the House Committee on Health & Human Services.  The Resolution will now move to the House Finance Committee.

The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Mizuno, Kobayashi, Belatti, Learmont; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Tupola.

Upcoming Legislative Dates

MARCH 28, 2018  |   FIRST LATERAL FOR CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS 

Concurrent resolutions require adoption in each chamber and are used to state the official position of the Legislature on an issue, or to request action formally without having to mandate it by law. All concurrent resolutions with multiple referrals must move to their final committee in the originating chamber by this date.

APRIL 5, 2018 |   FIRST CROSSOVER FOR CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS

Deadline for passing the single floor vote for adoption required for resolutions in order to move from the originating chamber to the other chamber.

APRIL 6, 2018 |   SECOND DECKING (BILLS)

Deadline for bills that have been amended by the non-originating chamber to emerge from all their committees (with committee reports filed) and be submitted to the clerk of that chamber. This "decking" ensures a mandatory 48 hour opportunity for final review by the non-originating chamber's members before third reading.

APRIL 12, 2018  |  SECOND CROSSOVER (BILLS)

Deadline for bills to pass third reading in their non-originating chamber in order to "cross back" to the originating  chamber.

What's Coming Up?

40 Days for Life Final Rally

40 Days for Life will be having their Closing Rally this Saturday, March 24th.  Please join them any time between 9:00 am and 12:00 noon at 1350 S. King St. Honolulu.  Click here for more information.

From Around the Nation

NIFLA v. Becerra   -- March 20, 2018

The Supreme Court heard oral argument today in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, a highly anticipated case that combines two often controversial topics: the First Amendment and abortion. The question before the justices today was whether a California law that directs "crisis pregnancy centers" to provide their patients with specific kinds of information - including, for some, the availability of low-cost or free abortions - violates the First Amendment's free speech clause. After roughly an hour of oral argument, the law appeared to be in some jeopardy, not only among the court's more conservative justices but also perhaps at least with Justice Elena Kagan, one of the more liberal justices.

(Read full blog  | ADF Resources  |  Full Transcript of Arguments )

Amy Howe, Argument analysis: Justices skeptical of abortion speech law, SCOTUSblog (Mar. 20, 2018, 4:03 PM),