Weekly Recap

From Hawaii Family Forum, Feb 16, 2019

Suicide Prevention for All!

Several bills to educate the community on suicide prevention are making their way through the legislative process.  We believe that suicide effects the whole community and only together can we help prevent the loss of life.

SB 383 Suicide Prevention in Public & Charter Schools

SB383 SD1 Requires the Board of Education to establish and implement youth suicide awareness and prevention training programs and risk referral protocols in public schools, including charter schools.

STATUS OF JOINT HEARING:  On February 11, 2019, the joint committee of the Senate Education and Senate Human Services voted to PASS SB 383 WITH AMENDMENTS (SD1).

The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kim, Dela Cruz, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.  

The votes in the HUS were as follows:  3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Ruderman, K. Rhoads, Ihara; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Riviere, Fevella.

The bill will now move to a joint committee hearing of the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health and the Ways & Means Committee.

HB 330 Suicide Prevention Bill

HB 330 HD1 appropriates moneys for youth suicide early intervention, prevention, and education initiatives in Kauai and Hawaii counties. Hawaii Family Forum supported the bill.

STATUS:  On February 12, 2019, The House Committees on Health recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows:

7 Ayes: Representative(s) Mizuno, B. Kobayashi, Belatti, San Buenaventura, Say, Tokioka, Ward;

1 Excused: Representative(s) Nakamura.

The bill will now move to the House Finance Committee.

HB 655 Suicide Prevention Month

HB 655 HD 1 Designates the month of September of each year as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month.  Hawaii Family Forum supported the bill.

STATUS:  On February 12, 2019, the House Committee on Health recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows:

7 Ayes: Representative(s) Mizuno, B. Kobayashi, Belatti, San Buenaventura, Say, Tokioka, Ward;

1 Excused: Representative(s) Nakamura.

The bill now moves to the House Judiciary Committee.

HB1416 Suicide Prevention in Hawaii's Prisons

HB 1416 HD1 Establishes a Suicide Prevention Commission to develop a strategic plan to reduce suicides within Hawaii's correctional system.  Hawaii Family Forum supported the bill.

STATUS:  On February 12, 2019, the House Committee on Health recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows:

7 Ayes: Representative(s) Mizuno, B. Kobayashi, Belatti, San Buenaventura, Say, Tokioka, Ward; Ayes with reservations:

1 Excused: Representative(s) Nakamura.

The bill will now move to the House Finance Committee.

Pakalolo Bills Thrive - For Now!

HB1383, the House bill to decriminalize marijuana, was deferred for decision making.  The purpose of the bill is to ask the State to replace criminal penalties for certain offenses relating to marijuana with monetary fines, and should also carefully consider whether and how to legalize the non-medicinal use of marijuana.  Violation of this new law (if passed) would only take place under these circumstances:

(1)  Possesses one hundred or more capsules or tablets or dosage units containing one or more of the cannabis concentrates or any combination thereof;

(2)  Possesses one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances, of an aggregate weight of one ounce or more containing one or more of the cannabis concentrates, or any combination thereof;

(3)  Distributes twenty-five or more capsules or tablets or dosage units containing one or more of the cannabis concentrates, or any combination thereof;

(4)  Distributes one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances, of an aggregate weight of one-eighth ounce or more, containing one or more of the cannabis concentrates, or any combination thereof; or

(5)  Distributes any cannabis concentrate in any amount to a minor.

STATUS:  Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 02-19-19 2:00PM in conference room 325.

SB 686 (Full Recreational Marijuana)

As we mentioned last week, the bill (SB 686 SD1) to legalize marijuana for recreational use passed the Senate Judiciary (unanimously) last week with Senator(s) Karl Rhoads, Glenn Wakai, Mike Gabbard, Donna Mercado Kim and Kurt Fevella) all voting yes.  The bill states that the "legislature further finds that the legalization of cannabis for personal or recreational use is a natural, logical, and reasonable outgrowth of the current science of cannabis and attitude toward cannabis."  It also states that "[t]he legislature further finds that cannabis cultivation and sales hold potential for economic development, increased tax revenues, and reduction in crime."

Status:  the bill is pending scheduling by a joint committee of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health and the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Palliative Care Support: Education for Hawaii's Community

Hawaii deserves better care and a chance of hope when circumstances arise because of illness.  Many people do not understand the difference between access to hospice and access to good palliative care services.  Sometimes that confusion causes people to lose hope and make choices based on misinformation.  

HB 722 Palliative Care Education

HB 722 HD1 establishes the culturally competent palliative care pilot program to promote palliative care and conduct bidding for at least two pilot programs for home or community based palliative care, one of which must be located in a county with less than two hundred thousand residents.  Hawaii Family Forum supported the bill.

STATUS:  On February 12, 2019, the House Committee on Health recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows:

7 Ayes: Representative(s) Mizuno, B. Kobayashi, Belatti, San Buenaventura, Say, Tokioka, Ward;

1 Excused: Representative(s) Nakamura.

The bill now moves to the House Finance Committee.

From Around the Nation

See Life Clearly - Sign the Petition

On this past Monday's Focus on the Family broadcast, Jim Daly announced the largest pro-life effort in Focus on the Family's history. It's called See Life Clearly.  As part of this initiative, they are asking people to sign "A Declaration for Life" - a petition they hope will gain millions of signatures that Focus on the Family will present to the White House and Congress, demonstrating that pro-life voters are committed to push back against the culture of death and to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Click here for more information