2023 HI Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Hawaii Legislature in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators' overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
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Senate Votes
HB426 establishes standards of conduct for members of the firearm industry and authorizes individuals who have suffered harm due to a violation of these standards to bring civil actions against the offending parties. Additionally, it empowers the attorney general, county attorneys, and public prosecutors to initiate civil actions against firearm industry members who breach these standards.
The Hawaii State Senate passed HB426 on April 11, 2023 by a vote of 21 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation poses significant restrictions on the free market by imposing stringent regulations on how businesses in the firearm industry operate. HB426 undermines the second amendment, which protects the individuals' God-given right to keep and bear arms, which shall not be infringed. Additionally, the bill not only encroaches on constitutional freedoms but also sets a concerning precedent for governmental overreach into private industry practices involving one of our most sacred rights.
SB109 replaces gender-specific terminology used in certain parental and marital matters with "gender-neutral" terminology.
The Hawaii State Senate passed SB109 on May 2, 2023 by a vote of 22 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill conforms to woke, leftist culture that focuses on virtue signaling and being politically correct.
SB1 allows licensed physician assistants to perform certain abortions and repeals the requirement that abortions be performed at specific locations. It declares that State will not interfere with a “pregnant person's” abortion or terminate a pregnancy for “health reasons.” The bill bars subpoenas and state cooperation in out-of-state investigations of legal reproductive health services performed in Hawaii and requires the Governor to deny extradition requests for reproductive health-related charges. It allows minors to consent to abortion care without additional consent.
The Hawaii State Senate passed SB1 on March 7, 2023 by a vote of 22 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this is one of the biggest abortion-protection bills to ever exist in the United States. The right to life is the most fundamental, God-given, and unalienable right asserted in the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed by the 5th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
SB1230 prohibits firearms in specified locations, mandates carrying a license, and restricts leaving firearms unsecured in vehicles. It also bans carrying under the influence, unauthorized possession on private property, and requires annual reports on carry licenses. Amendments address permit requirements, revocations, and disqualifications for firearm ownership. It also extends qualified immunity for healthcare providers who assist in firearms background checks.
The Hawaii State Senate passed SB1230 on May 2, 2023 by a vote of 22 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the fundamental right of the American people to keep and bear arms is protected by the U.S. Constitution, particularly in the 2nd, 9th, and 10th Amendments, and should not be infringed. The Constitution does not restrict where one can or cannot possess a firearm and in doing so impedes on our rights. Additionally, background checks to purchase a firearm violates the 4th Amendment.
SB898 is intended to address Hawaii's homelessness crisis, particularly among low-income and elderly people facing rising rents and fixed incomes. It expands the state rent supplement program for kupuna aged 62 and older who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The program, administered by the Hawaii public housing authority, provides rent assistance, housing counseling, and coordinates supportive services.
The Hawaii State Senate passed SB898 on May 4, 2023 by a vote of 25 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill is unnecessary government intrusion into the free market. Administered by big-government, bureaucratic agencies, this government-subsidized housing program unfairly benefits a specific segment of the population, effectively choosing winners and losers. Furthermore, it marks a stride towards socialism by misusing taxpayer dollars to finance subsidized housing, which undermines market-driven solutions and fiscal responsibility.
SB1417 requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to consider the impacts of climate change, sea level rise, and climate-resilient development in the design and siting of buildings in the Kakaako and Kalaeloa community development districts.
The Hawaii State Senate passed SB1417 on May 4, 2023 by a vote of 24 to 1. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill aligns with the United Nations' Agenda 2030 climate change plan. Additionally, this legislation increases government interference in the free-market economy and promotes the Marxist climate change agenda.
