What is Your Legislator Pushing?

by Lt Gov James ‘Duke’ Aiona, Hawaii Family Advocates, January 29, 2017

Just wanted to send out a brief email to let you know what some of your legislators think is important to Hawaii.  We can tell what they think is important by the bills they introduce (put their name on).   Here is a brief overview of some the problematic bills that your legislator has introduced:

• Newly elected Senator KARL RHOADS (who moved over from the House) wants to give nurse practitioners the opportunity to do abortions.
• The assisted suicide bills introduced showcases the multi-faceted, confusing, language supported by its proponents.  (We can't keep up with all their semantics)!  Suicide is suicide no matter how you try to spin it!
  • Senator RHOADS introduced a bill along with Senator(s) INOUYE, KIDANI and RUDERMAN.  This bill uses the vague ambiguous term "death with dignity."
  • Not to be outdone, Senator(s) INOUYE, IHARA, RHOADS, RUDERMAN, WAKAI, GALUTERIA and TANIGUCHI have their own "medical aid in dying" bill.
  • House Speaker JOE SOUKI and Representatives KEOHOKALOLE, LUKE, MCKELVEY, NISHIMOTO, SAIKI want Hawaii to allow its doctors to abandon their patients to suicide. Their bill is another misuse of the ambiguous and catch all phrase, "aid in dying."
  • Representative(s) ITO and SAY are pushing assisted suicide through their "death with dignity" bill.
  • Representative TAKAYAMA introduced his "end of life options" bill (by request).
• When the economy goes south, legislators start getting creative on revenue. That's where gambling comes in.
  • Senators KIDANI, ESPERO, GALUTERIA, SHIMABUKURO introduced a bill on fantasy sports contests.  Their bill exempts registered online fantasy sports contests from state gambling laws.
  • House Speaker SOUKI and Representative MIZUNO want a state lottery;
  • And finally, Shipboard gaming is supported by SOUKI, KONG, MIZUNO and DECOITE.
• Some of our legislators are considering a bill that would ban therapy for minors who are struggling with unwanted same-sex attractions or gender identity confusion.  Five states, the District of Columbia, and several other cities have already banned these therapies (often called "conversion therapy" by gay activists) and Hawai'i could be next.
  • Senator(s) CHANG, BAKER and RHOADS want to control what therapists say in their counseling sessions by their bill while Representative(s) ING, CREAGAN, KEOHOKALOLE, LOPRESTI and DECOITE push their version of the Senate bill.
  • Representative LEE has his own version of how to silence therapists.
• 36 different bills on marijuana have been introduced so we will keep you posted on their progress, but House members ING, CREAGAN, GATES wants outright legalization.  On the Senate side, you can find Senator(s) ENGLISH, IHARA, RHOADS, CHANG, DELACRUZ, ESPERO, GABBARD, GALUTERIA and WAKAI legalizing marijuana for personal use.

As the session continues, we will keep you posted on these, and other issues.  Keep in mind that 1600 House Bills and 1317 Senate Bills were introduced this session.  Remember that bills morph through the process so we must remain vigilant.  

Stay tuned and continue to pray for Hawai'i and its leaders.  In the next few days, I will tell you about some positive bills as well.

Aloha ke Akua!

Duke

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Hawaii Family Forum Legislative Week in Review

From Hawaii Family Forum January 27, 2017

Bill Introduction Deadline: Now the Work Begins

The last day to introduce bills for this session was January 25th.  That means that hearing notices have begun.  There are several issues respective to assisted suicide, gambling, marijuana (over 30 bills introduced), comprehensive sex education, housing & homelessness, and abortion (yes even a bill to expand who can perform an abortion) has been introduced.  During the next several weeks, we will make every attempt to keep you notified of the progress of any legislation that people of faith should be aware of.

Support for Life Grows!

A new Marist Poll finds that 83% of Americans oppose the use of tax dollars to support abortions abroad, and 61% oppose tax dollars to fund abortions in the United States. Supporters of President Trump are almost unanimous in their opposition to such funding (87%). The poll also finds 59% of Americans believe limiting abortion to the first trimester is an immediate priority with 78% of Republicans and 47% of Democrats in support and 59% of those polled who believe that abortion is morally wrong. The tide is turning in the way Americans view protecting the unborn.

Yesterday, President Trump reportedly narrowed his United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) list to four potential replacements with standing as strict constitutionalists in the genre of Scalia. The president is expected to announce his nominee on February 2nd.

These are all excellent signs leading into the LIFE MARCH in D.C. and some of the other States across the nation. At the National March for Life, Vice President Mike Pence and Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway, both addressed the crowd! This is the first time in the forty-four years of the National March for Life that a President or Vice President is attending in person.

YOU ARE INVITED! Seats still available for Marriage Gala!

You are invited to celebrate with us the lives of 12 couples whose marriages have blessed their communities.  We have a few seats left and we really would love for you to join us.

February 9, 2017  |  6:00-8:00 p.m.  | Kroc Center

Tickets include a great dinner, entertainment and prizes!  Come join us!

Click here for more information and to reserve your seat today.