Resolutions

Whereas, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i stated in its Platform of 2006: "We believe all human beings should have the right to have their basic needs supplied and have the right to be treated equally, with no discrimination on the basis of age, ethnicity, skin color, race, sexual orientation or gender identity"; and

Whereas, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i's 2006 Preamble states: "The abiding values of the Democratic Party are liberty, social justice, compassion and respect for the dignity and worth of the individual"; and

Whereas, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i believes and supports fairness. As stated in our 2006 Platform: "fairness is not a slogan; it requires constant attention to detail, dedication, and hard work. It requires aloha"; and

Whereas, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i has a profound respect for the individual. We recognize that responsible, individual freedom, compatible with the rights of others, is fundamental to our democracy; and

Whereas, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports families. We believe that individuals are best nurtured within families of caring people. We therefore support those policies, services, and institutions that strengthen families; and

Whereas, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Caucus was unanimously recognized as an official caucus of the Party by the Central Committee at its January 12, 2002 meeting; and the Caucus has honorably served with dedication and commitment to the values of the Party over the past 6 and half years; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i will continue to support and work with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Caucus to promote justice and equality regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Some of the issues and concerns are:

Government Operations, Government Rule-Making and Practices, Government Funding and Appropriations, and Welfare and Social Service Benefits; Hate Crimes; Relationship Rights and Responsibilities; Parenting, Adoption and Definitions of Family; Family Equality, Employment; Housing; Public Accommodations; Health; Education; Tourism; Economic Development; and Serving our Country in Military Service; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to Democratic elected officials and candidates and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, the security of the United States has depended upon volunteers and conscripts regardless of race, religion, age, sex and ethnic background, among other immutable human characteristics; and

Whereas, millions of men and women who have served honorably and have been discharged honorably have been homosexual or bisexual; and

Whereas, national associations of psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists and social workers agree that homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender, along with heterosexuality, are immutable human characteristics; and

Whereas, the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy has drummed out actual or suspected homosexual, bisexual and transgendered service personnel who wish for nothing more than to serve their country's security needs; and

Whereas, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" harms our national security; and

Whereas, our country has spent more than $360 million implementing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy; and

Whereas, other national security agencies and allied foreign militaries allow homosexual, bisexual, and transgendered people to serve openly; and

Whereas, there have been no studies that confirm that sexual minorities have adverse effects on morale or have a diminished capacity to serve alongside their heterosexual counterparts and seventy-nine per cent of Americans agree that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i opposes the counterproductive 'witch hunts' that have been conducted under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the United States Armed Forces; and

Be It Further Resolved that the Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the repeal of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy; and

Be it Further Resolved that concurrent with the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, the United States military review all policies and regulations for the purpose of eliminating discrimination in the military based on sexual orientation, identity or preference; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the members of Hawai'i's Congressional Delegation, candidates for these positions, all members of the Congressional Committees at the Federal Government level who deal with matters related to the U.S. Armed Services and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, a comprehensive asset-building policy includes a package of programs, tax incentives, regulatory changes, and other mechanisms to help people earn more, save more, protect hard earned assets, start businesses and become homeowners; and

Whereas, one in five households in Hawai'i have zero or negative net worth, the 6th worst ranking among the states; and

Whereas, one in four households do not have enough assets to subsist at the poverty level for three months if their income were disrupted; and

Whereas, 69% of jobs in Hawai'i do not pay a living wage making it difficult for many families to make ends meet, let alone pay off debt, build savings accounts, start businesses, or buy homes; and

Whereas, assets are essential for three reasons: to have financial security against difficult times, to create economic opportunities for oneself, and to leave a legacy for future generations to have a better life; and

Whereas, the wealthy benefit the most from existing asset-building policies-deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes, tax deferred retirement and education savings, lower taxes on long-term capital gains, etc.; and

Whereas, the State of Hawai'i can level the playing field by creating more asset-building opportunities for low- and middle-income households that will: 1) Make Work Pay (EITC, establish a self-sufficiency standard); 2) Teach Asset-Building (financial literacy education); 3) Break Down Barriers to Asset-Building (eliminate asset limits on Medicaid, conduct analysis on predatory lending practices, enact State Auditor's recommendations on payday lending); 4) Help People Save (expand Hawai'i's Individual Development Account programs, create a universal children's saving account program; allow "refund splitting" of state tax refunds to place a portion of a refund into a savings vehicle); 5) Help People Start Businesses (create a tax credit to stimulate private funding, create a self-employment assistance program); and 6) Help People Buy Homes (provide grants or forgivable loans for down payment assistance, increase outreach to low-income households to access federal resources, provide funding for increased administrative supports for the locally operated housing programs, assist families to build assets for homeownership, provide matching grants and forgivable loans for families in the Section 8 homeownership program; exempt family self-sufficiency escrow accounts from asset tests); and

Whereas, asset-building is a critical economic development tool to build the human capital needed to fuel the modern economy-also known as the "knowledge economy," "new economy," or the "innovation, science, and technology economy"; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i that it shall support asset-building policies that help Hawai'i families and communities save, build their assets and reach self-sufficiency; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to members of Hawai'i's Congressional Delegation, the Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, studies released in 2006 by the National Tour Association (NTA), and in 2007 by Community Marketing, Inc. (CMI) - the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (GLBT) population takes two to three times as many vacation trips annually as other segments of the population; and

Whereas, the annual economic impact of GLBT travelers as identified by the US Department of Commerce in 2006 was approximately $64.5 billion in the US alone; and

Whereas, 84.8% of gay male and 83.6% of lesbian consumers traveled in the last year (spent $500 or more) according to CMI; and

Whereas, no location in Hawai'i is currently identified within the top 15 as a "Most-Visited US Destination" location in GLBT travel research studies; and

Whereas, in April 2007 government authorities in over 75 destinations targeted the GLBT traveler with their marketing efforts, but a search in 2008 of "gohawaii.com" (the official Hawai'i Tourism Site) produced one reference to a bed and breakfast; of "hvcb.com" (the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau) produced no references at all; and of "oahu.com" (the official tourism site for the island of Oahu) produced a reference to a restaurant and a broken link to a Bed and Breakfast; and

Whereas, research indicates that selection of a vacation destination by the GLBT communities is motivated by recommendations, unique attractions, and a reputation for GLBT friendliness - and that the availability of on-line information is highly important when getting the necessary information to the GLBT tourist market; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i request the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawai'i develop and implement GLBT focused marketing to include on-line electronic information with links to resources valuable to the GLBT communities; and print, radio and television marketing in media focusing on the GLBT communities; and

Be It Further Resolved that such focused marketing should receive a significant, specifically identified segment of the marketing budgets of the Tourism and Visitors authorities of the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawai'i; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be given to all candidates for office identifying as Democrats; the Democratic members of the Legislature; the Mayor and Councilmembers of the City and County of Honolulu; the Oahu Visitors Bureau; the Hawai'i Tourism Authority; the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, the Hawai'i Charter School law promotes innovative, community-based education for Hawai'i's children that allows them to thrive in an alternative school setting with alternative teaching methods; and

Whereas, Hawai'i's Charter Schools are gaining in popularity with parents who appreciate choices in public education and who see their children excelling in ways that they did not within the standard public school setting; and

Whereas, Charter Schools are subject to the same teaching and learning standards as public schools; and

Whereas, Hawai'i's taxpayers pay into a system to support all public schools, including Charter Schools; and

Whereas, Charter Schools have been repeatedly denied funds needed to acquire, create, or expand operational facilities for their students and faculty, a practice inconsistent with DOE standards for public schools; and

Whereas, transparency and equity in funding are foremost in how the state spends tax money directed at all Hawaii public school students; and

Whereas, the State's Democratic Party Platform states, "Recognizing that education is a key component to our island's economic opportunities and successes, we pledge to pursue excellence in public education through a publicly funded school system. Our public educational system is one of our most valuable resources to prepare our children to become responsible citizens and to provide the means for them to succeed in their career choices"; and

Whereas, preparing children to become responsible citizens and to succeed is often done through example as the State promotes the pursuit of excellence through a publicly funded school system, Charter Schools, which are also public, require equal treatment; and

Whereas, denying Charter Schools equal treatment also denies Charter School students equal treatment; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i strongly urges the State of Hawai'i to provide equal and timely funding to all public schools, including Charter Schools, to insure the well being of all children in the public school system; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution is sent to the Governor, all State Legislators and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, an informed citizenry is the foundation of democracy; and

Whereas, since Benjamin Franklin formed the first public library as a part of the contribution of the founding fathers, public libraries, which are open to all people regardless of age, race, gender, social condition, and religion have since that time been a major component of informing the public in all aspects of the informational spectrum; and

Whereas, the Hawai'i State Library system has been mandated to supply all the people of Hawai'i with access to information, educational, and recreational material; and

Whereas, the Hawai'i State Library system has been heavily impacted by both an increase in population in under-served areas and the heavy expenses of updating and supporting current informational technologies; and

Whereas, budgetary constraints have forced shortages of approximately seventy-eight positions out of approximately 584 positions, and we are now facing a three percent budget cut; and

Whereas, adequate resources to correct this situation to supply the people of Hawai'i with the library and information services necessary to maintain the basic standard of service are not available; and

Whereas, this creates an inequity of service to the people of the state; now, therefore

Be It Resolved by the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i that the State Librarian shall be directed to assemble a task force composed of public and private organizations, philanthropic and commercial organizations, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and representatives from communities both cultural and geographic, to explore the library services needed in under-served communities, what resources they can develop, what facilities, collections, staffing, and services will be needed, and to supply this information to the legislature ninety days prior to the 2010 legislative session or as soon as this information may be assembled and the report accepted by the chairman of the task force; and

Be It Further Resolved that this task force become a permanent part of the Hawaiʻi State Library long range master plan; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Hawaiʻi State Librarian, the Hawai'i State Legislature and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, a democratic government derives its power from the consent of its citizens, and citizen participation in the political process is essential to the continuity of democracy; and

Whereas, corporate and other special interest donations account for the vast majority of campaign donations, both locally and nationally; and

Whereas, publicly funded elections hold politicians accountable to community interests rather than to special interests; and

Whereas, a comprehensive publicly funded campaign finance system such as voter-owned elections has opened up elections to fair competition and spiked voter participation in Maine, Arizona, North Carolina, and as many as four other states; and

Whereas, pono use of public resources, such as through a publicly funded campaign system, serves to include large numbers of citizens, particularly underrepresented constituencies, in the political process; and

Whereas, the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaiʻi promotes itself as being the "party of the people"; and

Whereas, the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaiʻi promotes this concept further by including Hawaiian values as the connecting link between what is said and what is practiced in the political process; and

Whereas, these values are the basis for our Statement of Principles: kuleana, mālama ʻaina, hoʻokipa, and pono-values that guide personal and professional conduct when in service to the community; and

Whereas, such values resonate with the concept of publicly funded campaigns, political accountability to the community, pono use of resources, and greater participation by underrepresented constituencies in the political process; now, therefore

Be It Resolved by the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaiʻi that our State Legislators be urged to strongly support comprehensive public funding for elections; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to member of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation, the members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the Governor, and the County Councils of Maui, Kauai, and Honolulu and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, A Hawaiian conservation ethic requires us all to observe and minimize our impact on aina, kai, and wai, and thus lighten our footprint on these natural resources at the same time that we care for them, and

Whereas, Hawaiians and residents of Hawaii have concern about how exploitation of our natural resources contributes to climate change and global warming, and

Whereas, Hawaiʻi's oil-produced energy use contributes to climate change; and

Whereas, the loss of most existing beaches, the flooding of most resorts, and the rising costs of oil for air transport costs will threaten Hawai'i's economy, and

Whereas, Hawaiʻi has the ability to meet all of our energy needs, which may include electrical, heating, cooling, and non-air-transport energy needs from local renewable energy resources and tap into numerous ecosystem-sensitive energy storage systems, and

Whereas, Hawaiʻi can 1) meet all of its energy needs without oil dependency, being mindful of the need to conserve Hawai'i's natural resources and to malama aina, kai, and wai in the process, and 2) at the same time, export abundant amounts of hydrogen energy through its wise use of local resources, and

Whereas, Hawaiʻi's independent island grids offer the opportunity to test different Renewable and safe energy systems, in effect leading the world in developing and testing these systems, and

Whereas, Hawaiʻi can play a vital role in finding solutions to the planet's climate change crisis by lessening its contribution to global warming, minimizing oil dependency, and caring for Hawai'i's natural resources, serving as a role model for others, and

Whereas, Hawaiʻi has the local talent and interested investors who seek ways to dramatically increase safe and culturally sensitive renewable energy penetration levels, and

Whereas, the Hawaiʻi Democratic Party Platform states: ''We support energy independence, self-sufficiency, affordability, and reliability for Hawai`i through the urgent development of renewable alternative energy sources. We commit to conservation and to independence from petroleum and coal by 2020"; now, therefore

Be It Resoled that the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaiʻi commit to strongly urging a community-driven and Hawaiian culturally appropriate "Integrated Master Plan" by the Public Utilities Commission to move Hawaiʻi away from oil dependency and toward energy independence and self-reliance by the year 2020.

Whereas, solar tax credits have promoted the use of solar equipment in the State of Hawaiʻi; and

Whereas, the increased use of solar equipment in the State of Hawaiʻi has saved thousands of barrels of oil and has reduced the cost of heating water; and

Whereas, there are over hundreds of condominium associations within the State of Hawaiʻi who cannot participate and appreciate the solar tax credits; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urges the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and United States Congress to include Condominium Associations as part of the Solar Tax credit program; and

Be It Further Resolved that this resolution be transmitted to members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation, the Governor, the county councils, the Mayors of all counties and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, energy cost has skyrocketed in the past year to over $100 a barrel for oil; and

Whereas, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in November 2007 confirmed that the average cost of electricity in the State of Hawaiʻi is 270 percent higher than the national average; and

Whereas, the search for alternative means of clean and affordable energy is first and foremost in Hawaiʻi; and

Whereas, the use of Hawai'i's most natural resource, the sea, which provides a viable alternative and clean energy source; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi supports legislation to provide initial funding and tax credits equal to or greater than solar tax credits of the Federal and State government for companies that build and install sea water to energy conversion technology in the State of Hawaiʻi.

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the State Legislature, the County Councils, the County Mayors and the Governor and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, the Women's Caucus of the Hawai'i State Democratic Party believes that every woman, no matter where she lives in Hawai'i, has a fundamental right to health care, a clean environment, education, and reproductive freedom; and

Whereas, the Women's Caucus of the Hawai'i State Democratic Party believes that a woman has the fundamental right to make the private personal choices about childbearing that are best for her family and to have the information and means to do so; and

Whereas, in the last 25 years, new reproductive technologies have emerged to expand the choices available to women and their reproductive future, not the least of which are invitro fertilization (IVF), new fertility drugs or intrauterine insemination (IUI), third party surrogates to assist women unable to carry a child, and a host of other assisted reproductive technologies (ART); and

Whereas, the public policies related to these new technologies have not kept pace with the increased methods and choices available to all couples; and

Whereas, the policy implications relate to economic status, socio-cultural, ethical and political issues that require an inclusive dialogue with the larger community; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi meeting in convention on May 3, 2008 at the Dole Cannery Ballroom requests that a Task Force on Reproductive Justice be convened by the Women's Caucus to make policy recommendations to the Hawai'i State Legislature; and

Be It Further Resolved that members of the Task Force include representatives from the advocates of the poverty community, representatives of ethnic groups, representatives from various faith communities, the reproductive health community, and other interested parties to assure a full and rich discussion; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, "disability" in this context refers to a "physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities," which include physical impairments; illnesses or injuries; chronic conditions like asthma, allergies and diabetes; and learning problems; and

Whereas, a 504 plan spells out the modifications and accommodations that will be needed for these students to have an opportunity perform at the same level as their peers, and might include such things as wheelchair ramps, blood sugar monitoring, an extra set of textbooks, a peanut-free lunch environment, home instruction, or a tape recorder or keyboard for taking notes; and

Whereas, students diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes qualify for a 504 plan; and

Whereas, administration of the 504 plan by the Department of Education has focused on those students with "learning problems" and "physical impairments" and students with diabetes have on occasion been denied appropriate accommodation for not neatly falling into these two categories of the 504 plan; and

Whereas, the Department of Education cannot and should not ignore the needs of students with diabetes; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi reaffirms that students with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are qualified for and not denied a 504 plan; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the Superintendent of Education, the County Mayors, the American Diabetes Association - Hawaii Market and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, the Bush administration has reduced and restricted national and international funding for HIV/AIDS research and treatment; and

Whereas, HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs to be effective needs to include increases in financial support of housing, dental, and food assistance for disabled HIV positive people; and

Whereas, clean needle exchange programs for injection drug users needs to remain in place and to have increases in funding for this effective prevention measure; and

Whereas, research for treatment and prevention needs to be supported here in Hawai'i and nationally; and

Whereas, budget concerns often lead to unwise cuts in funding for HIV programs; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi calls upon our Hawai'i legislators to work to increase funding for all HIV related programs and by providing affordable AIDS drugs to everyone who needs them; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee

Whereas, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i is committed to supporting steps that encourage health care for all as a human right and need; and

Whereas, Hawai'i enjoys the unique advantage of insurance premiums for health coverage that are lower than other states even though the cost of services is usually higher, due to the broad base of insured and the relatively lower proportion of unpaid services that must be covered through increased insurance premiums; and

Whereas, current Hawaiʻi State law does not extend any mandate for employer-provided coverage, even partly paid by the employee, when the employee works less than 20 hours per week; and

Whereas, many employers have reduced the working hours of employees to less than 20 hours per week to avoid paying for health care, thus shifting the burden of costs and responsibility to the government, the providers, and the community; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the employment laws of Hawaiʻi be revised to define part-time employees as non-excludable; and

Be It Further Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi supports the expansion, planning and establishment of universal health care for all Hawaiʻi residents; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation, Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, candidates for these positions and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, Hawai‘i's housing costs are too expensive and infrastructure like roads, electrical, water and sewage has stopped contractors and land owners from building in rural areas; and

Whereas, Water catchments and solar power can be built into modular homes, thus allowing home construction in rural areas that have little infrastructure; and

Whereas, The use of steel framing in modular homes prevents problems with subterranean termites and also makes them resistant to hurricanes and earthquake damage; and

Whereas, Homes that are built with factory construction can be moved, thus making them ideal for people who live on leasehold land; and

Whereas, By setting aside rural land banked areas, modular homes can be moved to safe areas if the property is in danger of a lava flow. By doing this, banks or insurance companies can allow mortgages or insurance on homes that are in lava or flood inundation areas; and

Whereas, Back in 2002, Oʻahu had a steel framed housing factory that built all sizes of homes at $60 per square foot. Pricing of on site-built housing at that time range from $120 to $180 per square foot. This shows that a factory built home can have a cost savings of over 50%; now, therefore, be it

Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi asks the Governor, City and County Representatives, and the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to pass laws and change building ordinances to allow for local factory built modular homes in Hawaiʻi; and be it further

Resolved, That O‘ahu County Democrats support building modular and factory manufactured homes in Hawai‘i, not including trailer homes; and finally be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, the Women's Caucus of the Hawai'i State Democratic Party believes that all citizens of Hawai'i are entitled to a fair and just judicial system; and

Whereas, the country's foremost researchers on race and the criminal justice system have analyzed the impact of race on policing, arrests, prosecution, and sentencing; the studies have uniformly found overwhelming disparities based on race; and

Whereas, Native Hawaiians make up only 9.1 per cent of the total population of the State, yet many correctional facility workers estimate the Native Hawaiian inmate population to be close to 60 per cent; Native Hawaiians average 23 per cent of all arrests in Hawai'i, and are twice as likely to be incarcerated as any other group in the State; and

Whereas, studies suggest that incarceration-related risks are more problematic in families where a mother has been incarcerated; adult children of incarcerated mothers are two and one-half times more likely to be incarcerated than adult children of incarcerated fathers; 95 per cent of the one hundred twenty female Hawai'i inmates incarcerated at a single mainland prison facility are mothers; and 71 per cent of the female participants in an O'ahu furlough program are mothers of minor children; and

Whereas, Native Hawaiian families are greatly impacted, as almost 60 per cent of children who are placed in child protective services are of Native Hawaiian descent, and of those children, 8 to 33 per cent of their parents are incarcerated; and

Whereas, a study would be helpful in determining the extent, nature, and impact of disparate treatment of Native Hawaiians and other ethnic groups in Hawai'i's criminal justice system; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi that it shall support a study of disparate treatment in Hawai'i's criminal justice system to be conducted by the Justice Policy Institute in partnership with Alu Like, Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center, American Civil Liberties Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and

Be It Further Resolved that any study, include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. The extent of disparate representation of Native Hawaiians and other ethnic groups in Hawaiʻi's criminal justice system, focusing on conviction rates and sentencing outcomes, to include data from the entry point (911 calls, assessment, and arrest) to the actual process (court appearances, prosecutorial review, plea bargain, sentencing) and exit (parole, probation, and recidivism rates) of the criminal system;
2. The causes of any racial disparities, including but not limited to Hawai'i's sentencing policies and drug laws; and
3. The barriers that disparate treatment poses to preventing recidivism and facilitating the offenders' successful re-entry into the community; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation, the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, OHA has had to repeatedly litigate and negotiate to receive those revenues, and the lack of a full, fair, timely, and just payment of said revenues has negatively impacted OHA's ability to fulfill its purpose and mission; and

[T]he State's obligation to native Hawaiians is firmly established in our constitution. How the State satisfies that constitutional obligation requires policy decisions that are primarily within the authority and expertise of the legislative branch. As such, it is incumbent upon the legislature to enact legislation that gives effect to the right of native Hawaiians to benefit from the ceded lands trust. See Haw. Const. art. XVI, §7. . . we trust that the legislature will re-examine the State's constitutional obligation to native Hawaiians and the purpose of HRS §10-13.5 and enact legislation that most effectively and responsibly meets those obligations. Office of Hawaiian Affairs v. State of Hawai'i, 96 Haw. at 401, 31 P.3d at 914 [citations omitted; emphasis in original]; and

Whereas, in Act 178, Session Laws of Hawai'i 2006, the legislature determined that until it may be changed in the future, the income and proceeds from the pro rata portion of the public land trust under article XII, section 6, of the State constitution for expenditure by OHA for the betterment of the conditions of native Hawaiians for each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2005-2006 shall be $15,100,000; and

Whereas, Senate Bill No. 2948, S.D.1, H.D.2, C.D.1, now known as Act 178, required that the Department of Land and Natural Resources provide an annual accounting to the legislature of all receipts from lands described in sections 5(f) of the Admission Act; the assumption therefore being that the DLNR has an inventory of the Public Land Trust;

Whereas, the Native Hawaiian population is confused about whether there is an inventory of the Public Land Trust since it has not been forthcoming, yet, the DLNR has to provide an annual accounting to the legislature as indicated above; now therefore,

Be It Resolved, that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaiʻi strongly encourages the State of Hawaiʻi to provide, during the legislative year 2009, a comprehensive and easily accessible report to the Hawai'i community with regard to 1) the inventory used to determine the revenues from the Public Land Trust lands, and 2) the State's process for arriving at and negotiating a fair settlement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and

Be It Further Resolved that if the total inventory of Public Trust Lands has not yet been compiled, that the legislature provide full funding for its compilation by 2010.

Be It Further Resolved, that any proposed settlement introduced in 2009 be carefully worded to assure that it covers only those lands identified to date, and not to any others that may be identified thereafter.

Whereas, this policy has been circumvented by the discovery of Iwi kupuna in development projects that have not undergone a complete archaeological inventory survey; and

Whereas, it is in the best interests of developers to be made aware of potential and actual burials located on their properties before design and planning are completed; and

Whereas, advance notice of locations of potential and actual burials could result in avoiding expensive delays and additional costs to redesign; and

Whereas, advance notice before design could incorporate the protection of Iwi Kūpuna in place, resulting in stronger protection for Iwi Kūpuna and a more financially secure development project; and

Whereas, a more proactive approach incorporating a complete archaeological inventory survey could protect the sanctity of the burials and avoid cultural harm to the deceased and their descendants; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi strongly urges legislators to introduce legislation requiring a complete archaeological inventory survey of lands scheduled for development prior to design and construction; now, therefore

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be sent to the Governor, the State Senate, the State House, the Mayors and the County Councils of Kauaʻi, Maui, Hawaiʻi and the City and County of Honolulu and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, the current supply of illegal marijuana nationally is largely from outside the US which is profiting terrorists who frequently use those profits for attacks on Americans; and

Whereas, the enormous amount of resources currently spent trying to control marijuana, a relatively benign, non-addictive substance that has been proven to be less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes could be better spent on education to reduce demand for all drugs and to treat those that have addictions; and

Whereas, there is a large amount of unused Agricultural Land that could be put to use as a new cash crop for Hawai'i along with the expansion of jobs for farm workers; and

Whereas, the waste/byproducts of the hemp (marijuana) plant are an ideal source of material for producing ethanol that is currently imported to Hawaii; and

Whereas, the amount of potential taxes generated by these new industries could benefit the quality of life in every aspect throughout the State; and

Whereas, the current situation has been totally ineffective at keeping this substance out of the hands of minors, but has only fostered violence and profited criminals in addition to giving criminal records to millions of people nationally for merely using the substance; and

Whereas, an effective distribution system could be set up through existing pharmacies requiring positive age verification and requiring stiffer minimum sentences for any non-family member supplying minors with access to the substance; now, therefore

Be It Resolved by the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i, that the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawai'i, Regular Session of 2009, provides national leadership on this issue by enacting legislation to legalize marijuana for recreational use by adults over the age of 21; and

Be It Further Resolved that procedures be put in place by the State of Hawaiʻi to regulate and tax the legal production, distribution and use of marijuana; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution is transmitted to the State Legislature and to the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

We Democrats abide by these guiding principles: 1) Our responsibility for our ethical, economic, environmental and educational legacy; 2) Education, jobs and economic opportunity for all; 3) Accessible and affordable health care for everyone in Hawaiʻi and our nation; 4) Diversity strengthens our state and our nation; 5) Security for all citizens; 6) Reversal of the erosion of civil liberties in our country; 7) Rebuilding of our reputation in the world as a cooperative and just country, and

Whereas, Hawaiʻi is not like any other state of the union, rather the multi-cultural aspect, a result of numerous immigrants from throughout the world moving to Hawai'i, combined with Hawaiian cultural values, calls for a different kind of sensitivity that empowers communities to work together in lokahi to effect change; and

Whereas, Hawaiians have a distinct advantage in bringing together people from other places of the world through the practice of aloha; and

Whereas, the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, since 2003, has developed a statement of principles that guide caucus work, specifically building on Hawaiian concepts of pono, mālama ʻaina, hoʻokipa, and kuleana; and

Whereas, the work of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi is community and ohana based, and thus those identified Hawaiian values serve to create and maintain relationships over time and contribute to the cohesiveness of the broader community; and

Whereas, Our kuleana as Hawaiians engaged in the political process is to 1) mālama ʻaina as the 'aina mālama us, 2) protect ALL of Hawaiʻi's natural resources (on the ʻaina and in the kai), 3) mālama na kūpuna, regardless of ethnicity, and 4) educate others on Hawaiian values; and

Whereas, from our relationship to the ʻaina springs forth our relationship to one another, and we acknowledge that the ʻaina teaches us how to express aloha, mālama ʻaina and kuleana, and to hoʻokipa, by providing space for others who believe and behave likewise; and

Whereas, accountability is built into such a system, thus, as the ʻaina holds us accountable for her well-being (the people will thrive as the aina thrives), so are we required to hold ourselves and others accountable for the well-being of our society; and

Whereas, adoption of Hawaiian cultural principles encourages members of the Democratic Party to do what is pono, and to hold themselves accountable to the mission, goals and (expanded) guiding principles of the Democratic Party; now, therefore

Be it Resolved, that the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urge its members to adopt the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus' Statement of Principles to add to the Democratic Party's existing Guiding Principles.

Whereas, communications is the most important between the Pacific area and Hawai'i's World-Wide family and business partners; and

Whereas, in order to encourage new business investment, the State of Hawai'i must become the communication hub of the Pacific; and

Whereas, fiber optic cable to the home (FTTH) is the best way to bring the global experience of broadband technology to Hawaii consumers; and

Whereas, FTTH benefits Hawaiʻi consumers by bringing them the best new essential services like telemedicine, distance learning and entertainment; and

Whereas, FTTH benefits Hawai'i communities because broadband technology help communities attract better wages and better jobs; and

Whereas, only FTTH offers consumers the fastest internet and TV connections with no limitations; now, therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi supports the installation of FTTH cable for all citizens of the State of Hawai'i; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the State Legislature, the County Councils, the County Mayors, the Governor and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas the Honolulu Symphony, like all of Hawaiʻi's resident arts, perennially enriches the lives of virtually all our citizens, enhancing the efforts of educational institutions, health and human services and social services providers, and other arts organizations such as the Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre and Ballet Hawaiʻi; and

Whereas the Honolulu Symphony serves as a repository for and stimulator of Hawaiʻi's own unique arts and culture, presenting Hawaiʻi's arts to today's audiences and preserving it for future generations; and

Whereas Hawaiʻi's geographical isolation makes the Honolulu Symphony the only professional orchestra for 2400 miles in any direction, and thus its existence is essential to meeting the needs of Hawaiʻi's resident population; the services that the Honolulu Symphony provides cannot be duplicated by any other existing organization in Hawaiʻi and would simply go away if the Honolulu Symphony ceased operations; and

Whereas the Honolulu Symphony is good for Hawaiʻi's economy, creating good jobs for Hawaiʻi's people, reinvesting its revenue in the local economy and attracting new money into the state, increasing Hawaiʻi's wealth; and

Whereas arts and entertainment are among the leading U.S. exports and play a major role in reducing the U. S. trade deficit; and

Whereas many studies in Hawaiʻi and nationally have shown that the arts are a good investment, generating positive economic activity and returning to government in tax revenue as much as seven times the amount of government subsidies to the arts-, and

Whereas in most communities the resident symphony orchestra is the flagship arts organization with the most visibility, the largest budget, and the greatest economic multiplier effect, and

Whereas the Honolulu Symphony lifts the spirit of our people, fosters their creativity, illuminates their heritage, and enhances the quality of life of each and every citizen of Hawaiʻi; now therefore

Be It Resolved that the Oʻahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urges all branches of government to unequivocally commit to guaranteeing the survival and ongoing health of the Honolulu Symphony; and

Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to all of the Hawaiʻi Democratic Party candidates for State Senate and State House of Representatives and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.