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Sunday, February 5, 2023
Senate Agenda: Abortion and Suicide
By News Release @ 8:41 PM :: 2671 Views :: Family, Life

Action: Anti-Life Bills Scheduled this Week

From Hawaii Family Forum, Feb 4, 2023 

As I mentioned in an earlier email (below), this is a busy time for the legislature and they are hearing many bills on many issues.  The bills listed below are scheduled for hearing this week and we need pro-life voices to take a moment and let the legislators know how we feel about them.  

Other bills may pop as well and I want to get the notice to you as soon as I get them.   

YOUR TAX MONEY FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE (AKA ABORTION)

HB1343 Relating to Reproductive Health Care Access [read the bill]
Establishes and appropriates money for the Office of the Reproductive Health Care Access Coordinator within the Department of Human Services for administrative purposes.

Scheduled for hearing by the joint committee hearing of the House Committee on Human Services and the House Committee on Health & Homelessness
Tuesday, February 7 @ 8:45 a.m.

Click to find out more and to take action on HB 1343

REMOVING SAFEGUARDS ON ASSISTED-SUICIDE

SB 442 Relating to Health. [read the bill]

Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses, in addition to physicians, to practice medical-aid-in-dying in accordance with their scope of practice and prescribing authority.  Reduces the mandatory waiting period between oral requests from twenty days to five days. Waives the mandatory waiting period for those terminally ill individuals not expected to survive the mandatory waiting period.

Scheduled for hearing by the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
Wednesday, February 8 @ 1:00 p.m.

Click to find out more and to take action on SB 442

Please pray for our legislators!  They have hundreds of bills to review all the time and it is not an easy job.  Things are always super crazy during February and March, but then things will even out a bit as bills merge, fall to the wayside and morph (sometimes bills are merged).

I appreciate your patience as we wade through this process together.

Sincerely,

Eva Andrade
President/CEO

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WEEKLY RECAP

Assisted Suicide Expansion Bill Easily Passes House Health

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, the House Committee on Health and Homelessness easily passed (HB 650) the bill that will lessen the protective restrictions on physician-assisted suicide.  They amended the bill and those amendments will be available in a new version of the bill that will come out in the next couple of days.

We submitted testimony in opposition.

The votes were as follows: 
6 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Takenouchi, Ilagan, Kobayashi, Mizuno, Nishimoto; 
1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 
1 Excused: Representative(s) Amato.

STATUS: The bill will now move to the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

Bill to help prevent suicides among Native Hawaiians passes first committee

On February 1, 2023, a bill (HB 622) that establishes within the Department of Health a task force to reduce the suicide rate among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the State easily passed the House Committee on Health & Homelessness.

We submitted testimony in support.

The votes were as follows: 
7 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Takenouchi, Ilagan, Kobayashi, Mizuno, Nishimoto, Garcia; 
1 Excused: Representative(s) Amato.

The bill will now move to the House Judiciary Committee.

Abortion Bills Pass First Committee

SB 1, Relating to Health, easily passed its first hearing on Wednesday.  In addition to allowing Physician Assistants to perform abortions, this bill helps clarify and provides some "protections" from the threat of litigation or harassment for the provision of health care services that are legal in Hawaii.

The hearing was packed with abortion activists and several OB/GYN's were present.  Although only a handful of us were there to oppose the bill, there was a lot of opposition submitted.  Thank you all for making phone calls and sending your concerns to the legislators.

We submitted testimony in opposition.

The votes in HHS were as follows: 
4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Moriwaki, Shimabukuro;
1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa

The votes in CPN were as follows: 
3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey;
1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; 
1 Excused: Senator(s) Richards.

STATUS: The amended bill will now move to the final committee in the Senate: the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

On February 1, 2023, SB 896, Relating to Reproductive Health Care, passed the HHS/CPN committee with amendments. The purposes of this bill are to: (1) prohibit a covered entity from disclosing communication or information relating to reproductive health care services; (2) prohibit the issuance of a subpoena in connection with an out-of-state proceeding relating to reproductive health care services legally performed in the State; (3) prohibit agencies from providing information or expending resources in the furtherance of interstate investigations or proceedings relating to reproductive health care services; (4) prohibit the State from penalizing, prosecuting, or otherwise taking adverse action based on pregnancy outcomes or aiding or assisting a pregnant individual with accessing reproductive health care services; (5) require the governor to deny any demand for surrender of a person charged with a crime involving reproductive health care services unless the conduct constitutes a crime in the State; (6) enumerate laws contrary to public policy and prohibits their application as rules of decision in the courts; (7) prohibit the issuance of a summons for persons to testify in another state with regard to lawful reproductive health care services; (8) clarify under various licensing statutes that the provision or assistance in receipt or provision of medical, surgical, pharmaceutical, counseling, or referral services related to the human reproductive system cannot form a basis for disciplinary action; and (9) prohibit the enforcement of a judgment or order arising from a foreign penal civil action or other penal law with respect to reproductive health care services.

The votes in HHS were as follows: 
4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Moriwaki, Shimabukuro; 
1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa

The votes in CPN were as follows: 
3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey; 
1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 
1 Excused: Senator(s) Richards.

STATUS:  The amended bill will now move to the final Senate Committee, the Judiciary.

Abortion enshrined in Hawaii's Constitution?

On Friday, February 3, the bill (SB 1167) that proposes a constitutional amendment to protect an individual's reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, including the right to abortion and contraceptives passed the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The vote in JDC was as follows:
3 Ayes: Rhoads, SanBuenventura and Elefante
2 Noes: Gabbard and Awa

We submitted testimony in opposition.

STATUS:  The bill will now move to the final Senate Committee, Ways and Means.  The wording of the suggested constitutional amendment question was tweaked by this committee so the next version of the bill will reflect the new language.

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines

FEB 8 (HOUSE) & 9 (SENATE) – TRIPLE REFERRAL FILING (BILLS) – All bills referred to three or more committees must be filed so that they can be in their second-to-last committee 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 the last committee in their originating chamber by the First Lateral deadline. 

FEB 17 – FIRST LATERAL (BILLS) – All bills referred to more than one committee must move to their final committee in the originating chamber by this day. (Note: Committees must file their committee report with the bill by the previous day, February 16.) 

FEB 23 - MAR 1 – MANDATORY 5-DAY RECESS – Hawaii’s Constitution mandates a 5-day recess between the 20th and 40th days of the regular session. Neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate convene or assemble formally in chamber on recess days. Committee hearings do take place.

Triple "F" Show: Faith and Family First

Hawaii Supreme Court Issues Ruling on Maui Ballot Case

Originally aired: February 2, 2023

Join Jim and Eva as they delve into the latest legal drama surrounding the Maui City Council Election. The Hawaii Supreme Court has just made a major decision on a lawsuit challenging the election results due to allegations of insufficient notice to voters of deficient ballots. Find out what the county's responsibilities were and how they may have fallen short in serving the voters of Hawaii. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the importance of protecting voters' rights.

FROM AROUND THE NATION

Rule Proposes Removing Moral Exemption to Contraception Mandate

WASHINGTON - On January 30, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a proposed rule to reduce and, in part, eliminate legal protections from the “contraceptive mandate” for those who have religious or moral objections to facilitating sterilizations or the use of contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs

Under this new proposed rule, fewer employers would be able to decline to provide employees health care coverage for birth control. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Department of Labor and Department of the Treasury issued the proposed rule on Jan. 30 to remove the moral exemption under Affordable Care Act (ACA) regulations. The religious exemption would remain in place but some religious groups have serious concerns.

READ USCCB STATEMENT HERE

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ANTI-LIFE BILLS UP THIS WEEK!  
TAKE ACTION IF YOU CAN.

from Hawaii Family Forum, Jan 31, 2023

As I mentioned last week, the Senate seems to want to push abortion bills up front and make them a priority.  

THIS WEEK 3 ABORTION BILLS ARE SCHEDULED AND 1 ASSISTED SUICIDE EXPANSION BILL IS SCHEDULED.

Bills will come out fast and furious in February, but they will slow down closer to crossover in mid-March.  Please be patient with us.  I know it is a lot of information but keep in mind I'm not the one making these bills a legislative priority.  If you can weigh in on these issues, please do.  Do not hesitate to send me an email if you need further clarification.

ASSISTED SUICIDE EXPANSION BILL SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY

HB650, Relating to Health, will authorize advance practice registered nurses to facilitate assisted suicide.  It also amends the waiting period.  It is scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. in the House Committee on Health and Homelessness.  [You can click on the bill number above and view suggested talking points.]

If you want testify, click here for the hearing notice (please make sure you are registered first.)

If you don't want to testify, but want to make a phone call, please call these members below and politely ask them to vote NO on HB650.  If you are a constituent to that legislator, please let them know.

HEALTH & HOMELESSNESS

Rep. Della Au Belatti (Chair) repbelatti@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-9425
Rep. Jenna Takenouchi (Vice Chair) reptakenouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-9415
Rep. Terez Amato repamato@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-8525
Rep. Greggor Ilagan repilagan@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-6530
Rep. Bertrand Kobayashi repkobayashi@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-6310
Rep. John M. Mizuno repmizuno@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-6050
Rep. Scott Y. Nishimoto repnishimoto@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-8515
Rep. Diamond Garcia repgarcia@capitol.hawaii.gov 808-586-8500

 

BILL AUTHORIZING PHYSICIAN-ASSISTANTS TO PERFORM CERTAIN ABORTIONS

As I mentioned in an earlier email, SB1, Relating to Health Care, will be heard by a joint committee of the Senate Health and Human Services and Health Commerce and Consumer Protection.  The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 1 at 1:10 p.m.  Please refer to that earlier email for information on how to get involved.  
[You can click on the bill number above to view some talking points.]

ANOTHER BILL ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE HEARING NOTICE FOR SB1.  

The Senate joint Senate Committees on Health and Human Services and Consumer Protection added another "reproductive rights" bill to the hearing notice.  

Hearing on Wednesday, February 1 @ 1:00 p.m.

You can view the updated hearing notice at this link.

SB896, Relating to Reproductive Health Care, prohibits a covered entity from disclosing communication or information relating to reproductive health care services. Prohibits the issuance of a subpoena in connection with an out-of-state proceeding relating to reproductive health care services legally performed in the State. Prohibits agencies from providing information or expending resources in the furtherance of interstate investigations or proceedings relating to reproductive health care services. Prohibits the State from penalizing, prosecuting, or otherwise taking adverse action based on pregnancy outcomes or aiding or assisting a pregnant individual with accessing reproductive health care services. Requires the governor to deny any demand for surrender of a person charged with a crime involving reproductive health care services unless the conduct constitutes a crime in the State. Enumerates laws contrary to public policy and prohibits their application as rules of decision in the courts. Prohibits the issuance of a summons for persons to testify in another state with regard to lawful reproductive health care services. Clarifies under various licensing statutes that the provision or assistance in receipt or provision of medical, surgical, pharmaceutical, counseling, or referral services related to the human reproductive system cannot form a basis for disciplinary action. Prohibits the enforcement of a judgment or order arising from a foreign penal civil action or other penal law with respect to reproductive health care services.

[You can click the bill number above to read more about the bill and see the list of Senate members who signed off on this bill.]

A BILL PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO PROTECT INDIVIDUAL REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

SB1167 will propose an amendment to Hawaii's constitution.  The hearings on this bill, should it pass, will provide the opportunity for people to make language suggestions during the hearings.  Remember that if it passes, it will be put on the ballot for voters to decide.

This hearing is scheduled for Friday, February 3rd at 9:30 a.m. before the Senate Judiciary Committee.  If you want to submit testimony, please click this link for the hearing notice.

[You can click on the bill number above to view more information on the bill and view a list of Senate members who signed on to this bill.]

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