This Week in Hawai'i

from HawaiiFamilyForum, April 4, 2025

On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs passed HCR 100/HR 96, a resolution that will require all state agencies to conduct mandatory training inclusive of the LBGTQ? community.

The resolution urges the State of Hawaii to require that all individuals or groups administering mandatory harassment and discrimination training for state employees demonstrate sufficient competency in LGBTQ+ identities and culturally specific gender identities, such as māhū.

Citing a 2023 UCLA study estimating that 5.1% of Hawaii’s adult population identifies as LGBTQ+, the resolution emphasizes that although state laws prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, societal stigma remains a barrier to full inclusion. The resolution claims the need for consistent and culturally aware training to foster respectful dialogue, improve workplace inclusion, attract diverse talent, and enhance public trust in state institutions.

The votes were as follows: 
8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; 
1 Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 
1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 
1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

The resolution will now move to the full House floor for consideration.

Working Groups Strongly Weighted to Establish Gambling in Hawaii

On Tuesday, April 2025, The committee on TOU recommended that HCR 192 HD1 (REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO ESTABLISH A NATIVE HAWAIIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP) be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 
5 Ayes: Representative(s) Tam, Templo, Holt, Hussey, Todd; 
1 Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Matsumoto; 
1 Excused: Representative(s) Ilagan.

STATUS:  The resolution will now move to the full House for a vote.

Another Win for Sports Betting (Temporarily I Hope)

On Tuesday, April 2, 2025, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means passed the sports betting bill (HB1308 SD1) with amendments. Please watch the short 3-minute discussion below. Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition, and we appreciate all the phone calls and emails from those of you in the community who are opposed to gambling.

Click here to view the vote.

LEGISLATIVE DEADLINES

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. 

APR 17 DEADLINE FOR FINAL FORM OF BILLS PROPOSING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS – A proposed amendment’s final form must be provided by written notice to the Governor at least 10 days prior to passing final reading by a 2/3 vote in each chamber. Once adopted by the Legislature, the proposed amendment is submitted to the voters, in the form of a ‘yes or no’ question on the ballot, for ultimate decision. 

APR 21 SECOND CROSSOVER FOR CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS – Deadline for passing amended concurrent resolutions in the non-originating chamber in order to “cross back” to the originating chamber. 

APR 24 FINAL DECKING OF NON-FISCAL BILLS – Deadline for submitting non-fiscal bills for final reading by both chambers. 

APR 25 FINAL DECKING OF FISCAL BILLS – Deadline for submitting fiscal bills for final reading by both chambers. Fiscal bills include appropriation or spending bills, tax credits, etc., or any bill with a House Finance (FIN) or Senate Ways and Means (WAM) referral. 

MAY 2 ADJOURNMENT SINE DIE – In Latin, “sine die” means “without a day” specified for next meeting. Adjournment sine die occurs on the 60th legislative day of a regular session and indicates a suspension of the business of the legislature indefinitely. From this point, the Legislature will certify bills whose form both chambers have agreed to and will transmit or “enroll” those bills to the Governor.

Contact PAR for information regarding the Governor’s deadlines.

Across the Nation

DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court heard opening arguments on Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic on Wednesday, a case about whether states like South Carolina can disqualify Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid funds. Hawaii Family Forum signed on to an amicus brief in the case, as did the federal government, 18 states, pro-life advocates in Congress, and medical professionals across South Carolina. The case could decide a circuit court split and set a legal precedent regarding how much sovereignty a state has over directing federal Medicaid funds. The decision could either allow states to defund and weaken the abortion industry, or require pro-life states to keep subsidizing abortion access. The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision no later than the end of June 2025.

The Supreme Court heard arguments on whether Medicaid recipients have a legal right to choose their healthcare provider under the “any qualified provider” provision of the Medicaid Act, even though the statute does not explicitly use the word “right.” Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, and Jackson argued that the law implies such a right by requiring states to provide access to qualified medical providers. However, South Carolina’s attorney, John Bursch, contended that without clear “rights-creating” language—such as “right” or “entitlement”—no enforceable individual right exists. Justice Kavanaugh emphasized the need for legal clarity to avoid ongoing litigation. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood’s attorney Nicole Saharsky argued that without the ability to sue, the law would be meaningless, especially when states disqualify providers for non-medical reasons. The case highlights a broader legal debate over whether certain statutory benefits implicitly create enforceable rights. 

Summary created with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI.

PREGNANCY RESOURCES CENTERS ARE CRUCIAL!

The “Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act of 2025,” has been introduced by 9 U.S. House Members that would increase protections for pro-life pregnancy centers across the United States. If passed, the bill would prohibit federal, state and local governments from discriminating against such pregnancy centers.  Meanwhile, legislators in Hawaii consider ways to "ensure" pregnancy centers are safe. Check out this recent article in Civil Beat.

States Challenge President Trump’s Executive Order on Election Integrity

A coalition of 19 states, including Hawaii, has filed a lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump, alleging that his recent Executive Order No. 14248, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” unlawfully usurps states’ constitutional authority to regulate federal elections. The complaint asserts that the executive order imposes stringent requirements, such as mandatory documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration, and interferes with state-administered vote-by-mail systems, thereby violating the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Hawaii and the other states seek declaratory and injunctive relief to prevent the enforcement of the order.

Catch Up on the Faith and Family First Podcast

This episode is currently being uploaded and should be ready for viewing by end of day today.  

What’s Really in Hawaii’s State Budget? Follow the Money!

Did you know that Planned Parenthood receives funding from Hawaii’s Department of Health budget? How much are they getting—and how much more are they asking for this year? We break it all down, including the good, the questionable, and the surprising line items you need to know about. Co-host Marcus Oshiro, former Chair of the House Finance Committee, leads an insightful and eye-opening conversation you won’t want to miss!