Gender Affirming Health Care Bill Deferred

News Release from Hawaii Family Forum, Feb 26, 2025

It's not often we can report  GOOD NEWS!  But, today, the bill (SB1150) that would have added "gender affirming health care" to Hawaii law was DEFERRED!  That means the bill is dead for this session.  The issue is far from over because supporters truly believe that Hawaii needs to pass laws to protect young people struggling with the gender identity.  We can't celebrate quite yet as the session is not over and anything is possible, but we can be grateful to the Chairs of the two committees for deferring the bill today. 

Take Action: If you have a moment, please contact the chairs of the two committees and thank them for not moving SB1150 forward. Watch the very short decision making here.

• Senate Judiciary (Senator Karl Rhoads) | 808-586-6130
• Senate Ways & Means (Senator Donovan Dela Cruz) | 808-586-6090

Sports Betting Bill (Senate Version) Deferred

Another piece of GOOD NEWS! The other bill that was deferred today, was the Senate version of the Sports Betting bill (SB1569).  That issue is definitely not over because the House version of the bill is still alive and will be on the House floor for 3rd reading within the next week.

 Take Action: If you have a moment, please contact the Chairs of the two committees and thank them for not moving SB1569 forward. Watch the very short decision making here.

Senate Judiciary (Senator Karl Rhoads) | 808-586-6130

Senate Commerce & Consumer Protection (Senator Jarrett Keohokalole) | 808-587-7215

We will be sending out an update after Friday that will list all the bills still alive and how you can take action.

Mahalo for your prayers & support!

BACKGROUND: Amended SB1150 Still Legalizes Kidnap of Children for Sex-Change

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This Week in Hawai'i

from Hawaii Family Forum, March 1, 2025

Sports Wagering (Gambling by Another Name)

HB1308 HD2 was heard by the House Committee on Finance on Monday, February 24, 2025. The bill passed out of committee and will now move to the full House for 3rd Reading. If you want to see the vote in committee and take action, click this link.

GOOD NEWS: Meanwhile, SB 1569 SD1 was heard by the Senate Committee on Consumer Protection and the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 and we are pleased to report that the bill was deferred, so this bill is dead for this session. Mahalo to the Chairs of the two committees for not moving this problematic bill forward and we hope that should the House version (HB1308) crossover, it will receive the same fate.

Recreational Marijuana - Gone But Not Forgotten

GOOD NEWS: SB1613 SD1 was scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 and the bill was removed from the hearing notice.

Civil Beat had an open conversation about the issue last week Friday, and I was able to attend in person. We are hearing that the conversation on the legalization of recreational marijuana will be back for the 2026 legislative session, so although we can claim a win for this session, the issue is far from over.

GOOD NEWS: SB319 (Marijuana Decrim) bill was killed on the Senate Floor today.
The vote on the floor was as follows: (We appreciate the NO VOTES of the Senators below)

Ayes, 11; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 
Noes, 12 (Senator(s) Aquino, DeCorte, Dela Cruz, Elefante, Fevella, Gabbard, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kim, Moriwaki, Richards, Wakai). 
Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kidani).

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines

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. 

MAR 13 SECOND TRIPLE REFERRAL FILING – All bills referred to three or more committees must be filed so that they can be in their second-to-last committee in the nonoriginating chamber by the following day. (Note: A referral to a joint committee counts as one committee referral.) This deadline allows ample time for successful bills to make their way to their last committee by the Second Lateral deadline.

Across the Nation

Blue States Push ‘Polluters Pay’ Laws to Fund Climate Disaster Recovery
Lawmakers in seven blue states (including Hawai'i) have introduced measures to require polluters to pay for past emissions contributing to climate change and extreme weather. The bills follow measures passed in Vermont and New York last year, based on federal superfund legislation passed in 1980. Payments would be pooled into a fund that would pay for recovery and mitigation of disastrous weather events. (Pluribus News)

Ohio Senate Moves to Tighten Marijuana Regulations Despite Voter Approval

The Ohio Senate has approved legislation to reduce the allowable levels of THC in legal marijuana products. The bill would reduce the number of marijuana plants someone could grow in their own home from 12 to six, and require marijuana to be transported in the trunk of a car when traveling. (Ohio Capital Journal)

NOTE: Ohio voters approved legal marijuana in a 2023 ballot initiative that won 57% of the vote.