Hawaii Family Forum Legislative Week in Review

from Hawaii Family Forum, March 22, 2024 

Future of Recreational Marijuana Legalization

On Tuesday, March 19th, the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Health heard the recreational marijuana bill.  Hawaii Family Forum submitted opposition testimony and collected over 550 signatures against the measure.

On Tuesday, March 19, the committee on CPC recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 
7 Ayes: Representative(s) Nakashima, Amato, Belatti, Hussey-Burdick, Gates, Lowen, Tam; 
3 Noes: Representative(s) Hashem, Onishi, Pierick; and 
1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama.

We appreciate the no votes above.

STATUS:  The bill will move to the final House committee (Finance).  We will send out notices when the hearing is scheduled.  You still have time to sign our petition against legalized marijuana.

Sign the petition against legalized recreational marijuana.

Abortion

A House Resolution (HR1) and House Concurrent Resolution (HCR5) is moving. The resolutions urge retail stores and pharmacies doing business in the State to adopt a policy on a national and local level guaranteeing an individual's unhindered access (italics mine) to all United States Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptives.  

NOTE: A resolution is a measure expressing the will, wish, or direction of the Legislature. It does not have the effect of law.
The resolution(s) ask(s) that certified copies of the resolution (or will of the Hawaii State House of Representatives) be transmitted to the Chief Executive Officer of Albertsons Companies, Inc.; Chief Executive Officer of Costco; Chief Executive Officer of CVS Health; Executive Vice President and President of Walgreens Pharmacy; President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart Inc.; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Target Corporation; President of Times Supermarkets; and President of Retail Merchants of Hawaii for distribution to the store managers of every Safeway, Costco, Long's, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and Times retail location in the State that is located within one mile of a high school.

On Thursday, March 21, the House Committee on Health recommend that HR1 and HCR 5 be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 
6 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Takenouchi, Amato, Ilagan, Marten, Nishimoto; 
1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 
1 Excused: Representative(s) Kobayashi.

STATUS:  Both resolutions will now move to the House Committee on Consumer Protection.

Minor Access to Healthcare - Expansion

SB3125 SD2 HD1 [a]uthorizes minors who are fourteen years of age or older to consent to medical care and services for sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, and family planning services, including the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Requires confidentiality policies and practices for insurers and health care providers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

On Wednesday, March 20, the House Committee on Consumer Protection heard the bill. The committee on CPC recommended that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 
The votes were as follows: 
6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Amato, Belatti, Hashem, Gates, Onishi; 
1 Noes: Representative(s) Pierick; and 
4 Excused: Representative(s) Nakashima, Hussey-Burdick, Lowen, Tam.
Read more about the bill here.

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines & Events

MAR 25 (SENATE) & 28 (HOUSE) 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. 

APR 3 FIRST CROSSOVER FILING FOR CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS –Filing Deadline for First Crossover for concurrent resolutions. 

APR 4 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. 

APR 4 SINGLE REFERRAL FILING (HOUSE BILLS) – Deadline to file Senate committee reports on single referral House Bills 

APR 5 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. 

APR 11 SECOND CROSSOVER (BILLS) – Deadline for bills to pass third reading in their non-originating chamber in order to “cross back” to the originating chamber.

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