Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Votes


Hobbyist Firearm Ban  |  HB1366

HB1366 bans numerous unfinished firearm components and home-built hobbyist firearms.

The Hawaii State House of Representatives passed HB1366 by a vote of 42 to 8. The We have assigned pluses to the nays because the right of Americans right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and should not be infringed. The death the opponents of gun rights have planned for the 2nd Amendment is one by a thousand cuts, and this is one such cut.

Limiting Asset Forfeiture Abuse  |  SB294

SB294 limits the controversial tactic of civil asset forfeiture, in other words the tactic of taking property from individuals before a conviction.

The Hawaii State House of Representatives passed SB294 by a vote of 48 to 2. We have assigned pluses to the yeas, because the act of taking an individual’s property without first gaining a conviction is a tyrannical, and highly unconstitutional practice. This is a violation of the 4th, 5th, and 8th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This practice flaunts our right to due process, and our expectation of protection from unreasonable searches, seizures, and the levying of excessive fines.

Banning Fossil Fuels  |  HB111

HB111 bans utility companies from utilizing fossil fuels for energy production by the year 2045.

The Hawaii State House of Representatives passed HB111 by a vote of 45 to 5. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this rule will cause energy prices to go sky high, all in the name of a climate emergency that wasn’t. Green energy and renewables are prohibitively expensive forms of energy production, and the panic around climate is based on bad science.

Ending the Covid-19 Emergency  |  HB103

HB103 limits executive emergency powers utilized during the Covid-19 emergency with a legislative check.

The Hawaii State House of Representatives passed HB103 by 50 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the executive powers utilized during the Covid-19 emergency were excessive. This check on those powers is a necessary expression of a balance of powers and wisely limits the government overreaction to the pandemic.

Permitting Nurses to Perform Abortions  |  HB576

HB576 lowers criteria for allowing nurses to perform abortions.

The Hawaii State House of Representatives passed HB576 by a vote of 42 to 9. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the right to life is the most fundamental, God-given, and unalienable right asserted in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the U.S. Constitution. Further, there is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that would prevent states from passing well-constructed statutes or adopting amendments to their state constitutions that provide even greater and more specific protections for the right to life than those provided by the 4th, 5th, and 14th Amendments.

$18 Minimum Wage  |  HB2510

HB2510 raised the minimum wage to $18 an hour.

The Hawaii State House of Representatives passed HB2510 by a vote of 25 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill violates free-market principles. Minimum wage laws and especially high minimum wage laws limit employment opportunities especially for young, disabled, and elderly workers. Emerging AI and robotics technologies are now competing with low-skilled workers. High minimum wage laws remove work opportunities and causes prices to go up.

Establishing LGBTQIA+ Bureaucracy  |  SB2670

HB2670 will establish the LGBTQIA plus commission to provide programs and outreach to gay and trans individuals.

The Hawaii State Senate passed HB2670 by a vote of 25 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because establishing a feel-good bureaucracy around gay issues is a gross misuse of public funds that is unlikely to serve any useful purpose. Gay issues are heavily politicized, and the formation of this commission is likely a virtue signaling and political gesture for the benefit of lawmakers’ vanity, only to leave taxpayers footing the bill.

Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030  |  SCR243

SCR243 endorses the UN Climate Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Hawaii State House of Representatives passed SCR243 by a vote of 25 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because these agreements infringe on the sovereignty of the United States. The U.S. Constitution does not allow for these agreements to be made with other countries, taking power away from congress to make these decisions.

Gun Restrictions  |  HB2075

HB2075 extends the time period in which an approved handgun permit may be used to make an acquisition 10 days to 30 days. It also eliminates the requirement that authorities physically examine firearms upon registration for transfers by licensed dealers.

The Hawaii State Senate passed HB2075 by a vote of 22 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this is a continuous violation of our 2nd Amendment rights. 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.

Diversity & Inclusion  |  SB1285

SB1285 requires any Hawaii hospital in a county with an area greater than 4,000 square miles that serves Compact of Free Association benefit recipients to establish diversity and inclusion training for all staff.

The Hawaii State Senate passed SB1285 by a vote of 25 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation embraces the woke Marxist culture that is ruining our country. These policies only pit Americans of different races and religions against each other, becoming a catalyst for more racism.

Woke Discrimination  |  SB193

SB193 requires publicly held domestic corporations to have a gender-diverse board of directors. It establishes reporting requirements for the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, along with penalties for noncompliance.

The Hawaii State Senate passed SB193 by a vote of 24 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation keeps less qualified individuals off boards and forces publicly held domestic corporations to embrace the woke culture. This is also a gross amount of government overreach, interfering in business and the free market.

UN Agenda 2030  |  SB694

SB694 codifies sustainable development goals based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The Hawaii State Senate by a vote of 25 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because these agreements infringe on the sovereignty of the United States. The U.S. Constitution does not allow for these agreements to be made with other countries, taking power away from congress to make these decisions.