News Release from Hawaii Family Forum

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES: 

LIFE: The emergency contraceptive bill that would have forced a religious hospital to administer the morning after pill, (which can act as an abortifacient) was never heard in the House Finance Committee. The bill is thankfully dead for this session although Planned Parenthood will continue to bring this issue up.

Physician-assisted suicide was thankfully never heard this session. However, please understand that proponents are in the community even now, trying to build a network of support to kill our kupuna. There was attempt at the 2012 HSTA Convention to introduce and pass a proposal that would allow HSTA to lobby the Hawaii State Legislature to support the legalization of assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. The fate of this resolution is uncertain at this time although HFF will remain vigilant!

FAMILY: Praise God that no gambling measures have survived. Nonetheless, we will remain vigilant and watchful during the remaining days of the 2012 legislative session. HFF is also coordinating with HCALG to bring in two gambling experts in January 2013 for educational workshops, meetings, legislators briefings, etc.

GLEN/LGBT Curriculum: Praise God for the victory against the proposed Hawaii Safe Schools Act in the 2012 legislative session. However, there was attempt at the 2012 HSTA Convention to introduce and pass a proposal that would allow HSTA to lobby Board of Education and the Hawaii State Legislature to support LGBT textbooks, classroom materials, and school sponsored activities in Hawaii’s public schools. As with the resolution stated above, the fate is uncertain. HFF continues to monitor this issue very closely to protect our keiki.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: 

The transgendered birth certificate change bill (HB 2227 HD1 SD1) would have required the department of health to establish new birth certificates for persons whose gender differs from the gender designation on the person's original birth certificate. One source at the capitol described this bill as the most disgusting bill ever seen at the capitol. Another source called this bill the “pupule (crazy) bill”. A few people even said that there’s nothing that we can do to stop it.

Nonetheless, we vocalized our concerns that altering a vital record could potentially force the church to marry same-sex couples (newly disguised as heterosexual) or even ordain a woman (newly disguised as a man).

We also ask pastors and churches to fast and pray in regards this very important measure and to participate in the legislative process and persevere till the very end. Then on the evening of April 26, 2012 the miracle happened. The conference committee deferred the bill indefinitely.