New report documents nationwide racial, economic disparities in incarceration
“The reasoning is clear: the combination of excessive incarceration and harsh punishment is a blunt instrument for social control that perpetuates the country’s painful, historical legacy of injustice and inequality, and deprives masses of black and brown people unfairly of freedom and opportunity. It is the site of today’s civil rights struggle.” http://www.aclu.org/criminal-law-reform/ending-mass-incarceration-charting-new-justice-reinvestment
ACLU lawsuit: Hawaii Department of Public Safety in violation of “open records” law
Suit filed after State stonewalls release of records in wrongful death lawsuits against Corrections Corporation of America Read the complaint: http://acluhawaii.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/complaint_and_summons.pdf Honolulu, HI – April 11, 2013 – The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii Foundation (“ACLU”) filed a lawsuit in First Circuit Court today on behalf of the law firm Rosen, Bien, Galvan & Grunfeld, […]
ACLU of Hawaii on media shield law
Statement by Daniel M. Gluck, Senior Staff Attorney, 4/4/13 “The ACLU of Hawaii supports removing the sunset provision in the current media shield law and making that law permanent. The law has worked well for the last five years, and both the ACLU and the Supreme Court Standing Committee on the Rules of Evidence believe […]
House shelves decriminalization for 2013, measure remains alive for 2014 session
The Associated Press is reporting that S.B. 472, Hawaii’s decriminalization bill is shelved for 2013. SB 472 and other marijuana law reform bills remain live for the 2014 legislative session. http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/21875432/hawaii-house-kills-bill-to-decriminalize-marijuana For the latest breaking news and action alerts on the ongoing issue of marijuana law reform in Hawaii, please visit (and join!) our coalition […]
Aloha State poised for meaningful marijuana law reform in 2013 legislature
Bills give lawmakers new opportunity to take modest, sensible steps while addressing urgent issues of government fairness and efficiency Honolulu, Hawaii - The marijuana law reform movement is about fair, effective use of government power and taxpayer money, and it’s based on two over-arching principles: 1. There is no federal law preventing any state from […]
Advocates announce new coalitions as Hawaii marijuana decriminalization bill passes Senate floor vote
“Fresh Approach Hawaii” and the “Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawaii” reflect growing voter interest in new approaches to marijuana for the State. As SB 472 SD2, a bill to decriminalize marijuana, was unanimously approved by the Hawaii Senate, and two bills to improve Hawaii’s medical marijuana program are poised for passage in the House, Hawaii advocates […]
From Ukraine, with love (for the 1st Amendment!)
2012 Winter Intern Sergiy Shtukarin (left) is Executive Director at the Ukraine Center for Political Studies. After finishing his time in Hawaii working with the ACLU, he organized an essay contest for Ukranian youth to write about the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Members of the ACLU of Hawaii legal team helped judge the contest. Here […]
Updated: House bills 667 & 668 on medical marijuana pass first hearings, next hearings 2/13/13
UPDATE 2/8/13: HB 668 (to move oversight of the program from the Narcotics Enforcement Division to the Department of Health) has passed out of the House Health Committee. It now moves to a hearing before the House Committee on Finance. HB 667 (to improve Hawaii’s medical marijuana law) was heard in a joint hearing of […]
Marriage equality petition via our ‘ohana at Hawaii United for Marriage
Visit us online at http://www.hawaiiunited.org “In Hawaii, we believe in the spirit of Aloha … treating others the way we would want to be treated. None of us would want to be told that is is illegal to marry the person we love. But according to Hawaii state law, committed gay and lesbian […]
State Lawmakers to Consider Regulating Marijuana Like Alcohol in Hawaii
House Speaker Souki will introduce bill to establish a legal market for businesses to cultivate and sell marijuana to adults 21 and older HONOLULU – Newly elected State House Speaker Joseph Souki (D-8), is scheduled to introduce a bill today to remove penalties for private adult marijuana possession and establish a system in which the cultivation and […]
