2024 ACLU of Hawaiʻi Legislative Wrap-up Report

Aloha kākou,

Together, with the support of coalitions, partners and community members, we fought hard to protect liberty, equity and justice at the Hawaiʻi Legislature. The 2024 legislative session wrapped up with some wins, losses, and fertile ground for policy changes on the horizon!

-We passed a historic “Clean Slate” Task Force bill and a Cannabis Record Expungement Pilot Project bill that sets the foundation for people to move beyond their past criminal records and have access to jobs, housing, and other life opportunities.

-ACLU of Hawaiʻi spearheaded the Change 23 Steering Committee and helped to pass a Constitutional Amendment “Marriage Equality” bill that gives voters the opportunity to remove discriminatory language from our Hawaiʻi Constitution at the ballot box this November.

-Cannabis legalization got the furthest it has ever gotten in the Hawaiʻi Legislature, passing the Senate and clearing three House Committee hearings, only to die just short of the finish line. These efforts will continue as members of the Hawaiʻi Alliance for Cannabis Reform.

-While lawmakers rejected several data driven criminal legal reforms that would address the root causes of crime, they also passed a bill that requires the State to share law enforcement officer certification suspension and revocation information with other states through the National Decertification Index. In addition, Hawaii’s hiring agencies are now required to review the same information before hiring new officers.

Recognizing that it often takes multiple legislative sessions to pass bills that we champion, you can count on us to persist! Our mission is to safeguard our civil rights and liberties enshrined in the U.S. and Hawai‘i Constitutions. Please stay connected by joining our e-mail list at acluhi.org, following us on social media @acluhi and taking collective action. We appreciate your continued support and most of all, your commitment to a more just, fair and equitable Hawaiʻi!

In solidarity,

Carrie Ann Shirota, Policy Director