This Week in Hawai'i: Freedom to Read, Gender Affirming Health Care, Marijuana & Gambling
from Hawaii Family Forum, Feb 13, 2025
Freedom to Read - Dead for this session
On Monday, February 10, 2025, the Senate Education Committee heard SB799 (Freedom to Read). This bill requires the Department of Education and the State Librarian to select and manage school library materials based on specific criteria while ensuring reading freedom. It also prohibits them from excluding books based on certain factors, including religion and faith.
STATUS: The committee voted to defer the bill, which is now dead for this season.
Gender Affirming Health Care - Still Alive & Moving
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, a joint Senate Committee on Health and Consumer Protection heard SB 1150. If passed, this bill would add "gender-affirming health care services" to the HRS Chapter on Reproductive Rights that expanded abortion in 2023.
Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition.
STATUS: The bill easily passed out of the joint Senate Committee of Health & Human Services & Senate Consumer Protection.
The votes in HHS were as follows:
- 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole
- 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella; and 0 Excused: none.
The votes in CPN were as follows:
- 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Richards
- 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and
- 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey.
(See vote here.)
The bill will now move to a joint committee of the Senate Judiciary and the Senate Ways & Means.
Recreational Marijuana & Decriminalization - Still Alive & Moving
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, the Senate Committee on Judiciary heard SB319, a marijuana bill that, although about decriminalization, is just de-facto legalization. This bill reduces the threshold for second-degree marijuana offenses from 1 ounce to 30 grams. It increases the allowable amount for third-degree offenses from 3 grams to 15 grams or less.
Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition.
STATUS: The bill passed out of committee with only one no vote, Senator Mike Gabbard.
The votes in JDC were as follows:
- 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, San Buenaventura, Awa
- 1 No(es): Senator(s) Gabbard; and
- 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang.
See the vote here.
STATUS: The bill will now move to the full Senate floor for a vote. We will be sending out an action alert shortly so you can contact your own Senator.
Recreational Marijuana - Still Alive & Moving
On Thursday, February 13, 2025, a joint committee of the Senate Health & Human Services and the Senate Committee on Judiciary heard SB1613, the Senate version of the recreational marijuana bill that the House killed last week.
Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition.
STATUS: The bill passed the Senate Judiciary and the Senate Health Committee.
The votes in Judiciary were as follows:
- 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura
- 2 No(es): Senator(s) Gabbard, Awa
The votes in the Senate Health Committee were as follows:
- 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Hashimoto;
- 1 Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Aquino
- 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella; and 1
- Excused: Senator(s) Keohokalole.
The bill will now move to a joint committee hearing of the Senate Consumer Protection and the Senate Ways and Means.
Gambling - Still Alive & Moving
On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs heard HB 1308 HD1 Relating to Sports Wagering. The bill aims to regulate sports wagering in Hawaii by establishing licensing requirements for operators and suppliers, and setting operational guidelines and taxation measures. It also allocates a portion of the collected taxes to a special fund for problem gambling prevention and treatment. The bill description says that it shall not be considered gambling.
Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition.
STATUS: The Senate Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.
The votes in JHA were as follows:
- 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Kahaloa, Todd;
- 2 Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Hashem;
- 4 Noes: Representative(s) Perruso, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; and
- 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
The bill will now move the House Finance Committee.
Casino - Dead for this Session
On Thursday, February 13, 2025, a joint committee of the Senate Economic Development & Tourism Committee AND the Senate Committee on Commerce & Consumer Protection heard SB893 SD1. This bill proposes granting 20-year licenses for casinos in the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District and Hawaiʻi Convention Center, establishing a Hawaiʻi Gaming Control Commission, and imposing a 15% wagering tax on casino revenues. The bill also creates a State Gaming Fund and a Compulsive Gambler Program, aiming to generate revenue but raising serious concerns about gambling’s social and gambling impact on Hawaiʻi.
Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition.
Status: The joint committee of the Senate Consumer Protection and the Senate Economic Development and Tourism voted to defer the bill. It is dead for this session. We truly appreciate the members of the committee for making this decision NOT to allow casino gambling in Hawai'i.
You can click this link to see a list of the bills we are currently tracking.
Upcoming Legislative Deadlines
FEB 20-26 MANDATORY 5-DAY RECESS – Hawaii’s Constitution mandates a 5-day recess between the 20th and 40th days of the regular session. Neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate convene or assemble formally in chamber on recess days. Committee hearings do take place, however.
FEB 28 FIRST DECKING (BILLS) – Deadline for bills to emerge from all their committees (with committee reports filed) and be submitted to the clerk of the originating chamber. This “decking” ensures a mandatory 48-hour opportunity for final review by the chamber’s members before being asked to vote on the third reading. Note: A bill must pass three readings (votes) in each chamber before being enrolled to the governor.
MAR 6 FIRST CROSSOVER (BILLS) – Deadline for bills to pass third reading in order to move (or “crossover”) to the other chamber. If successful, House bills are sent to the Senate and Senate bills are sent to the House for further consideration.
MAR 7 LAST DAY TO INTRODUCE SUBSTANTIVE RESOLUTIONS – Resolutions are legislative measures which may request action of a government entity or state the legislature’s position on an issue. They do not have the force and effect of law, require only one reading in chamber, and are not enrolled to the Governor
Across the Nation
SCOTUS Could Deny Planned Parenthood Medicaid Funds
[From Liberty Counsel] WASHINGTON, D.C. – Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case about whether states like South Carolina can disqualify Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid funds. Liberty Counsel argues that the federal Medicaid Act allows states to direct these funds away from abortion providers they deem as unqualified health care providers. As a result of Planned Parenthood’s unethical and illegal profiteering of aborted baby body parts revealed through undercover videos, South Carolina has a compelling interest in denying taxpayer funds to providers that engage in such practices.
[Click here to read the full article.]
DOJ Now Supports Tennessee’s Child Medical Mutilation Ban
[From Liberty Counsel] WASHINGTON D.C. – Now under the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday notified the U.S. Supreme Court that it considers Tennessee’s law banning child medical mutilation constitutional. In a letter to the High Court, the DOJ reversed its Biden-era position by stating Tennessee’s “Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act,” also called SB1, does not violate equal protection guarantees. The Trump administration urged the High Court, which has already heard oral arguments in the case, still to decide United States v. Skrmetti on its merits as the decision would affect many other legal cases.
[Click here to read the full article.]