Standing Firm in a Shifting Culture

from Hawaii Family Forum, Feb 21, 2025

In recent days, I’ve received a few emails accusing me of attacking women simply because I oppose amending our state constitution to create a “right” to "contraception" and “reproductive freedom.” Let me be clear: I respect every single person, but I will never apologize for being pro-life. My position is not about taking away rights—it’s about protecting life, supporting families, and preserving parental responsibility.

But this debate is about more than just one issue... (to read full article, click here.)

Removal of Religious Exemptions for Vaccinations

Community Stands Strong Against HB1118 HD1 at the State Capitol

(UPDATED) Friday was a long and impactful day for many in our community who dedicated four hours at the State Capitol to speak out against HB1118 HD1.

The opposition was overwhelming. As Rep. Diamond Garcia noted, over 1,000 testimonies were submitted in opposition—compared to only about 100 in support.

While several state offices submitted written testimony in favor of the bill, the Department of Health was represented in person solely by Kenneth Fink. When called to the podium by Rep. Garner Shimizu, he spent several minutes responding to tough questions, not only from Shimizu but from other members of the Judiciary Committee as well.

Watch the video below to see the full exchange.

Click to Watch (22 minutes long)

The bill passed out of committee, though not by a majority. The concerns raised by Representative Della Belatti and Representative Amy Perruso were insightful and critical. Additionally, the vote explanations provided by Representatives Garcia and Shimizu were especially noteworthy.

You can watch the final 12-minute decision-making process here:

Click to watch  (12 Minutes long)

The final vote in House Judiciary Committee was as follows:

• Yes 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Hashem, Takayama
• Yes 2 Ayes with reservation: Representative(s) Poepoe, Belatti
• No Representative(s) Perruso, Garcia, Shimizu
• Excused Representative(s) Cochran, Kahaloa, Todd

The bill will now move to the full House floor for a vote.  If you would like to send a message to your House member right now asking them to vote no on HB 1118 HD2 (when it comes to the floor for a vote) you can click this link.

Mahalo for your kokua!

Constitutional Right to Contraceptives

On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, a joint committee of the Senate Ways & Means and the Senate Judiciary held a hearing on SB 350 SD1, the bill to enshrine the "right to contraceptives" in Hawaii's State Constitution.  Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition.

The vote in the committee(s) were as follows:

STATUS:  The bill will now move to the full Senate floor for a vote.  We will send out a notice so that you can ask your Senator to vote no on SB 350 SD1 when it moves to the full Senate Floor for a vote.  Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition.  We truly appreciate the no votes of Senator Gabbard and Senator Awa.

The votes in WAM were as follows: 

• 8 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Lee, C., Wakai; 
• 3 Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite, Kidani, Kim ; 
• 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella

The votes in JDC were as follows: 

• 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura
• 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa 
• 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

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. 

MAR 10 BUDGET DECKING – Deadline for submitting the budget bill for third reading. The State Budget is developed by the Governor and estimates expenditures for the fiscal year or biennium and the proposed means of financing these expenditures. 

MAR 12 BUDGET CROSSOVER – Last day for third reading of budget bill in order to move to the other chamber.

Oakland School District Discriminates Against Christian Clubs

OAKLAND, CA – Liberty Counsel filed a reply brief on behalf of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) NorCal East Bay against the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and its superintendent Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell for unlawfully denying elementary school Good News Clubs access to school facilities on an equal basis with other non-religious groups. According to the lawsuit, CEF applied to use facilities on four different campuses within the OUSD for more than two years, but were denied on religious grounds, pretextual schemes, and even by silence. These discriminatory denials violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments and California state law.  [More from Liberty Counsel]

Hawaii Ranks 23 on the Family Structure Index

A new report measures how the decline of marriage and the rise of homes without married fathers has led to dramatic increases in child poverty, violence in our communities, and crashing educational outcomes. The report also proposes practical and attainable solutions for lawmakers, churches, and marketplace leaders to help right the course.

The 2025 Hope and a Future report from Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) reveals the disastrous effects the decline of marriage and the collapse of the family has had on Hawai'i and America. [Click here to view full report.]

Kansas Legislature Overrides Governor To Protect Children

TOPEKA, KS – Overriding Governor Laura Kelly’s veto, Kansas lawmakers enacted Senate Bill 63 yesterday to protect children from harmful puberty blockers, hormones, and irreversible mutilating surgeries. The Kansas legislature voted overwhelmingly to protect children by a vote of 84-34 in the House and 31-9 in the Senate – surpassing the two-thirds majority needed for an override.

Commonly referred to as the “Help Not Harm Act,” SB 63 acknowledges the biological reality of sex as male and female and prohibits doctors from “treating” gender-confused minors with these procedures under threat of losing their medical licenses. The law also allows civil lawsuits against medical practitioners who perform these interventions and defunds these procedures from state taxpayer dollars. [Read more from Liberty Counsel]

HHS Restores “Biological Truth” To Defend Women and Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In new guidance released yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made clear that human life begins at conception and that only two biological sexes are determined therein – male and female.

The release of the guidance marks one of the first actions taken by newly confirmed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and implements in part President Donald Trump’s efforts to eradicate “false” gender ideology throughout the executive branch. The guidance informs all federal agencies, the government’s external partners, and the public that the “immutable” nature of human sex is genetically determined at conception. By recognizing binary sex as “objective biology,” the government can then help protect the health and safety of women and children, the HHS stated. [Read more from Liberty Counsel]

Catch Up on the Faith and Family First Podcast

New video should be uploaded by end-of-day today or tomorrow morning.