This Week in Hawai'i

from Hawaii Family Forum, March 21, 2025

 PLEASE NOTE: Resolutions do not have the force and effect of law, and thus cannot require action. Resolutions are used by the legislature or a single chamber to state its official position on an issue or to request action. Resolutions are not enrolled to the Governor. Upon adoption, resolutions are transmitted to the individuals, officers, agencies,or other concerned parties cited in the resolution.

Working Group on "Gender Neutral Language"

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, the Senate Committee on Judiciary passed a resolution (SCR179 and SR 149) introduced by Senator Chris Lee that requests that the state LGBTQ+ Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women review the Hawaii Revised Statutes and make recommendations for gender-neutral language terminology. The committee(s) on JDC recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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.

STATUS: Both SCR 179 and SR 149 will now go to the full Senate for a vote.  If passed, SCR179 will cross over to the House. If SR149 is passed, it is completed. 

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, the House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness passed a resolution HR 95 and HCR 99 (introduced by TAM, AMATO, PERRUSO) requesting the state LGBTQ+ c\Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women to review the Hawaii Revised Statutes and make recommendations for gender-neutral language terminology. The committee on HSH recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 

6 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama; 

2 Noes: Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia; and 

1 Excused: Representative(s) Takenouchi.

STATUS: Both HR 95 and HCR 99 will now move to the House Judiciary Committee.

Vaccination Drive Efforts at Schools in Hawaii with Less Than 50% Vaccination Rates

On Friday, March 21, 2025, the House Committee on Health passed HCR173 and HR 169 (introduced by GRANDINETTI, AMATO, BELATTI, GARRETT, PERRUSO, TAKAYAMA) urging the Department of Health to undertake preliminary education, outreach, and vaccination drive efforts at schools in Hawaii with vaccination rates under fifty percent, prioritizing schools with vaccination rates under thirty percent, beginning at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The committee on HLT recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows:  

 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Chun, Marten, Takenouchi; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Olds; 
2 Noes: Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia
STATUS: Both HCR 173 and HR 169 will now move to the House Education Committee.

Tourism and Gaming Working Group

On Friday, March 21, 2025, the House Economic Development and Technology Committee passed a resolution HCR 192, requesting that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism establish a tourism and gaming working group.  This is another step to creating a foundation for establishing gaming in Hawaii. The committee on ECD recommended that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 

 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Templo, Matsumoto; 
2 Excused: Representative(s) Holt, Todd.

STATUS: HCR 192 will now move to the House Committee on Tourism.

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines

MAR 24 (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 FOR CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS – Deadline for passing the single reading required for resolutions in order to move from the originating chamber to the other chamber. 
APR 4 SECOND DECKING (BILLS) – Deadline for submitting 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 nonoriginating chamber’s members before third reading. 
APR 10 SECOND CROSSOVER (BILLS) – Deadline for amended bills to pass third reading in their non-originating chamber in order to “cross back” to the originating chamber. 
APR 10 LAST DAY FOR THE ORIGINATING BODY TO DISAGREE WITH BILL AMENDMENTS – Deadline for the originating chamber to disagree with changes made to its bills by the other chamber. When the Senate and House disagree on a bill, members from each chamber may meet in a “conference” committee to work out their differences.

Across the Nation

States Brace for Delays as Federal Worker Unemployment Claims Surge Amid Mass Layoffs

State governments are preparing for a surge in unemployment claims from former federal workers amid the Trump administration’s mass layoffs. Processing unemployment claims from federal workers takes longer than processing claims from private sector workers, threatening long delays for those who need benefits. (Pluribus News)

Meanwhile, here in Hawaii, ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNE LOPEZ WINS TEMPORARY BLOCK ON MASS FIRINGS OF FEDERAL PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES; FIRED EMPLOYEES GET THEIR JOBS BACK

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Rejects Use of Aborted Fetal Tissue in NIH Research

President Trump’s nominee to head the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, said in his senate confirmation hearing that he would not allow the use aborted fetal tissue in research, citing that it “is not just an ethical issue, but it’s a public health issue.” For further information, click here.

President Trump Orders Education Department To Begin Closing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a historic move yesterday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Education (DOE) to “take all necessary steps” to close down and return the education authority of America’s children back to the states.

According to a White House fact sheet accompanying the order, the DOE has spent more than $3 trillion since its inception in 1979 without improving student achievement on standardized test scores. 

[Read full article at Liberty Counsel]

Catch Up on the Faith and Family First Podcast

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Hawaii State Representative Andrew Garrett gave an outstanding floor speech against the legalization of sports-betting in Hawaii.  Join our discussion on this podcast as we delve into the real reason why people of faith need to continue their fight to keep gambling out of Hawaii.