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A Message from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - Chairman on Leave

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UPDATE 2/4/21: Select call-to-action on Smart Meters in Hawai`i: Action Needed Now!

Watch tutorials on “Engagement 101” with Hawai`i State Legislature

Excellent resource on how to:

  • Register for an account on the Legislature’s website
  • Sign up for hearing notices
  • Write and submit testimony
  • Search/track bills

[Landing page for Hawai`i State Legislature at capitol.hawaii.gov]

Diagram of A Bill’s Journey: From Bill to Law in Hawai`i [Read source and more detailed info]

*[HB = House Bill; SB = Senate Bill]

LINK TO ALL HAWAI`I STATE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES

1/29/21: Get Ready for Bill Hearings! [As early as next week!]

BEFORE a bill is scheduled for a committee hearing in the Hawai`i Legislature, do this:
  1. *REGISTER* at capitol.hawaii.gov  [See “TUTORIALS” section of this page, above, on registering and other info such as submitting testimony and bill tracking]
  2. EMAIL YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIVE AND/OR SENATOR depending on whether you’re referring to a HOUSE BILL [HB] and/or a SENATE BILL[SB] [see tutorial section above to find your rep/senator]
    • Request your legislator’s support or opposition for the particular bill(s) you are calling about.
    • It is critical in “floor votes” taken between bill committee hearings that each rep and senator know their constituents’ opinions about bills, since they may not know much about the issue if not on a committee hearing the bill.
    • Keep contact with them short and to the point.
  3. PREPARE YOUR TESTIMONY NOW so that it will be ready to upload or cut-and-paste into the individual bills’ testimony sections on the capitol.hawaii.gov website.
    • [Refer to “TUTORIALS” section above.]
    • Testimony for each bill can be as simple as “SUPPORT” or “OPPOSE” or longer if you want to elaborate on the rationale for your position(s).
  4. SHARE THE BILL NUMBER AND THIS INFO WITH EVERYONE!
AFTER a bill is scheduled for a committee hearing in the Hawai`i Legislature, do this:
  • The public is given only 48 hours’ notice before a bill hearing in a particular committee.
  • You then have only 24 hours to upload or register your testimony at capitol.hawaii.gov, since all written testimony is due at least 24 hours prior to the time of the scheduled hearing.
    • Uploaded testimonies will be available for public viewing, linked by the legislature staff, most likely after the hearing has already occurred, but sometimes just prior to the committee hearings.
    • This system leaves very little time or opportunity for your testimony to be read and digested by legislators before a hearing, fyi, so best to additionally communicate with legislators as early as possible [see bullet point below].
    • When uploading written testimony or simply registering your opinion of support or opposition for a bill, indicate whether or not you plan to offer additional oral testimony at the hearing. Currently, all oral testimony is remote via Zoom app link–neighbor islanders now can testify via Zoom! 
    • Download the Zoom app, set up a Zoom account, and familiarize yourself with the app in advance so that you don’t miss out on the hearing due to avoidable technical bugs
  • BEFORE THE HEARING DATE (within that 24-hour window once a committee hearing is announced), contact each legislator in the appropriate hearing committee.
    • Find the contact information by referring to this committee list.
    • At the very least, contact the Committee Chair
    • Call, email and even fax your message of support or opposition to each committee member. [For example, “Hi, my name is _______ and I (strongly) urge Rep [if House Bill]/Senator [if Senate bill] [name of legislator] to [support / oppose (choose one)] [Bill number], which has a committee hearing on [date]. Thank you.”]
    • Calling an entire committee in this fashion can be completed in just a few minutes.
    • Be polite to the legislative staff for best results
    • Repeat call/email/fax procedure for each committee a bill is pushed to in the course of its progress through the hearing process; same timing rules apply for each committee hearing’s testimony submission and registration to give oral testimony.

1/28/21: New 2021 Bills in Hawai`i State Legislature

This section will be updated with status changes in bills.

SUPPORT:

HB241

[select bill numbers to read details for each bill at capitol.hawaii.gov]

NO MANDATORY VAX OR MEDICAL TESTING

Relating to discrimination

Prohibits certain discriminatory practices based on an individual’s invasive medical status or vaccination status.

Public and private measures are being considered now which would require COVID vaccinations for participation in certain public activities and functions of daily American life.

  • This bill stops coercion and future mandates of experimental, liability-free COVID-19 vaccines
  • HB241 prevents employer discrimination or unfair discriminatory practices that deny people equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities based on invasive medical testing or vaccination status

1/28/21 Referred to Hawai`i House Committees: LAT, JHA, FIN

Introducers: D. KOBAYASHI, OKIMOTO, WARD, McKelvey

UPDATE 2/2/21: Chair Onishi reportedly has refused to schedule this bill for hearing in the House LAT committee. If not heard by 2/11, the bill DIES. Please call him to urge that he schedule it. Call also your own rep and senator to offer your opinion on allowing a public hearing for the principles of bodily sovereignty, medical freedom, the right to informed consent in accordance with the Nuremberg Code. Find contact info at capitol.hawaii.gov and follow the links at the bottom of the page for “Legislators” and “Committees.” To find your own rep and senator, use the search tool in the upper right of the homepage.

SUPPORT:

HB1203 / SB626 

[select bill numbers to read details for each bill at capitol.hawaii.gov]

TAXATION OF COMMUNICATION CARRIERS

Requires DOTAX to audit telecommunications companies operating in Hawaii to identify past underpayments of gross receipts taxes and property taxes, if any, dating back to January 1, 1990. Requires all telecommunications carriers that operate in Hawaii to use generally accepted accounting principles in calculating their tax liabilities to the State and counties.

This bill authorizes a tax audit of telecommunications carriers operating in the state of Hawai`i to identify past underpayments of taxes and require them to use generally accepted accounting principles rather than the outdated rules that deprive states and counties of their fair share of tax revenue. [see our website “Take Action” page for more information on this and other bills we’re watching this legislative session.]

  1. Due to the loss of tax revenue caused by the pandemic, the state of Hawai`i badly needs revenue and this bill is an effective way to bring money that is owed to state and local jurisdictions by telecommunications companies like AT&T, Verizon and Century Link, which have flourished during the pandemic.
  2. Telecommunications companies have been engaging in shady accounting practices for decades. They routinely undercount their assets, like fiber optic and copper cables, by counting only “active” cables being used and hiding others that they own bt are not actively using yet. This results in significant underpayments in state and local taxes. This bill addresses that.
  3. This bill could rightly be called the Telecom Swindle Remedy Bill. The FCC cost accounting rules no longer apply, yet those outdated rules still are used by telecommunications companies to the detriment of state and local governments. The result is massive underpayment of property taxes and gross receipt taxes.
  4. Hawai`i leads the way with this legislation, as a recent lawsuit freed the states to reclaim substantial amounts of lost revenue from accounting shenanigans committed by big telecommunications carriers. It has the potential to pave the way for other states. By holding the telecommunications companies accountable, the recovered money can be put where it belongs–with us here in Hawai`i.

Aunt Ethel explains Big Telecom’s accounting scandal that caused the digital divide: irregulators2020.com

1/28/21: Awaiting notification as to House Committee referrals; Referred to Senate Committees: GVO, WAM;

Introducers in House: WILDBERGER, GANADEN, PERRUSO, TAM, Kapela, LoPresti, Marten, Sayama; in Senate: BAKER (Introduced by request of another party)

SUPPORT:

SB360 / HB118

[select bill numbers to read details for each bill at capitol.hawaii.gov]

RELATING TO SAFE WATER; PROHIBITS FLUORIDATION

Prohibits the introduction of fluoride to a public water system. Provides that any conflicting laws or rules are preempted.

1/28/21 Referred to Senate Committees: HTH, JTC; House Committees: HHH, CPC, FIN

Introducers: Senate: GABBARD, FEVELLA, KEITH-AGARAN; House: HASHEM

SUPPORT:

HB103

[select bill numbers to read details for each bill at capitol.hawaii.gov]

GOVERNOR NEEDS LEGISLATORS’ APPROVAL TO EXTEND EMERGENCY PROCLAMATIONS PAST 60 DAYS

Relating to Emergency Powers

Requires approval of the legislature by concurrent resolution to extend to a date certain, or deny the extension of, a proclamation of a state of emergency timely requested by the governor beyond sixty days of its issuance, unless the legislature fails to take action, in which case the state of emergency is automatically extended for sixty days. Allows the authorization of the issuance of a separate proclamation arising from the same emergency or disaster as a previous proclamation that expired, upon request of the governor and adoption of a concurrent resolution by the legislature.

1/28/21 Referred to House Committees: PDP, JHA, FIN

Introducer: NISHIMOTO

This bill was heard in the PDP Committee on 2/2/21; The committees on PDP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Eli, Cullen, McKelvey, Mizuno, Wildberger, Woodson, Yamashita, Ward; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. Read public written testimony submitted to the PDP Committee.

OPPOSE:

HB1225

[select bill numbers to read details for each bill at capitol.hawaii.gov]

Relating to Digital Health Records

Requires coordination to link certain information on social services, organ donor status, and immunization data to the statewide health information exchange. Makes participation in the Hawaii immunization registry mandatory for all providers of immunizations, including COVID-19 vaccines, beginning 08/01/2021.

1/28/21 Awaiting Committee Referral update

Introducers: Marten, Decoite, Nakamura, Wildberger, Matsumoto

Added here 2/2/21:

OPPOSE:

HB726

[select bill number to read details for each bill at capitol.hawaii.gov]

RELATING TO FACE COVERINGS

Requires every person to wear a face covering when in a public setting, subject to certain exceptions. Establishes a fine for failure to wear a face covering. Sunsets December 31, 2021.

Referred to: PDP, JHA, FIN

STATUS UPDATE 2/2/21: Bill heard in House PDP committee. The committees on PDP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Eli, Cullen, McKelvey, Mizuno, Wildberger, Woodson, Yamashita, Ward; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. Read public written testimony submitted to PDP committee

ALL HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES

Past Calls-to-Action

Two New Events Added 12/8/20

  1. Urgent Action Follow this link for more information on the Honolulu City Council HEARING Wed, 12/9/20 at 10am regarding the placement of 5G apparatus on Hawai`i STREETLIGHTS
  2. Don’t miss this Informational Briefing of the Hawai`i Legislature 12/11 at 10am on COVID-19 Vaccine [including a link to the livestream feed].

UPDATE 12/4/20: Success! The Honolulu City Council has cancelled the introduction of Resolution 20-321 from the 12/9/20 Agenda.

However, this does not necessarily mean that Hawai`i Mayor(s) or Governor will not issue a new proclamation adopting these more restrictive proposed outdoor mask mandates. Stay vigilant. Thank you for supporting bodily sovereignty and medical freedom–united we will prevail!

STOP SUFFOCATING HAWAI`I!

New Outdoor Mask Mandate Proposed by Honolulu City Council Member Ron Menor, Supported by Mayor Kirk Caldwell

Resolution to be introduced to Honolulu City Council on WED, DECEMBER 9, 2020, 10am at Honolulu Hale – Sign up here to testify remotely during the meeting by phone or video. Call, email, comment on social media all Honolulu Council Members, Mayor Caldwell, Gov. Ige, LT Gov Green, Mayor-elect Blangiardi, and SHARE this with friends, family and neighbors! See contact info further down this page. TIME TO STAND TOGETHER, HAWAI`I!

*UPDATE 12/4/20: The link to sign up to testify in the previous paragraph has been corrected.

Read local news story.

Read the proposed resolution here:

The Science of Masks

The current Hawai`i State mask mandate permits going maskless outdoors when able to maintain 6-feet of social distance.

If adopted by the Mayor and/or Governor, a new mandate as proposed by Resolution 20-321 would require all people to mask at all times outdoors, regardless of ability to maintain 6 feet of distance between individuals, and add a great burden to people exercising or just simply those outdoors to appreciate fresh air and nature. There would be no exception for people from the same household outdoors at any distance. The only exceptions to the proposed mandate are being in the ocean or pool, and for people with a medical condition prohibiting face covering.

Honolulu City Council Member Ron Menor, proponent of the resolution, rationalizes that this mandate will make easier police enforcement of outdoor masking–not primarily that it has any demonstrable benefit to diminish COVID-19 mortality and spread of illness. Do we even have access to sound scientific data showing that the added outdoor restrictions are a superior policy with clear, scientifically grounded benefits to health over the current mandate? Are there a significant number of severe illnesses traced to a failure of the current outdoor mandates? Show us the science, please!

To place such a burden on people [assuming that it is even constitutional in the first place] there must be a clear and compelling, scientifically based rationale. Collateral damage due to government management of COVID-19 has yet to be fairly weighed and debated publicly.

Face masks restricting free flow of air into people’s bodies are not benign accommodations–for a virus with a 99.8% recovery rate. All untimely deaths and illness are tragic, including those from COVID-19, as well as those lost due to prolonged lockdown measures. Hypoxia [lack of blood oxygen],  hypercapnia [excess carbon dioxide in the blood], skin infections and respiratory infections from wearing “face diapers” can lead to serious illness in some people.

IF social distancing and masking work, then there is no need to add the currently proposed outdoor mask mandate.

IF you agree, light up both their phones and inboxes with your opinion! Be sure to reference PROPOSED RESOLUTION 20-321 in your calls and on your email subject lines. It takes only a few minutes to call through the entire list, and to copy all on a single email.

Honolulu City Council Members contact info:

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

District 8

District 9

Mayor Kirk Caldwell (808) 768-4141

Governor David Ige’s contact form

Thank you to Aloha Freedom Coalition and Hawaii For Informed Consent for sounding the alarm about the latest proposed modification!