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2016 Convention of the O‘ahu County Democrats
April 23, 2016
Aloha Stadium, Hospitality Room
Resolution Title: 16-01 Minimum of Two 24/7 Drop-in Centers for Unaccompanied
Homeless Youth16-02 Supporting a Ban of Conversion Therapy 16-03 End Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assaults 16-04 Requesting That the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents
Repeal its Policy of Discouraging Running for Public Office16-05 Requesting that the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents
Reinstate the University Ombuds Office16-06 Requesting that the State Board of Education and Department of
Education Require Arts Education and Instruction16-07 Urging Appointment of Out LGBT Judges 16-08 On Death With Dignity 16-09 Urging that Student Loan Forgiveness or Reduction Measures
Include Employees of Private Employers under State Contracts
for Public Services16-10 Urging Expansion of Educational Funding by Taxing Legalized
Cannabis16-11 To Increase Minimum Wage to $15 an hour 16-12 Requesting the Convening of a Statewide Rare Disease Task Force 16-13 Declaring June 26 as Equality Day 16-14 Relating to Predators
OC 2016-1. Minimum of Two 24/7 Drop-in Centers for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Whereas, The unaccompanied homeless youth, age range 10 to18, on O'ahu need the protection of a 24-hour, seven days a week drop-in center; and
Whereas, The State statute requires that youth be accompanied with an adult to be admitted to any drop-in centers, shelters, and/or transitional housing; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the State of Hawai'i and the City and County of Honolulu to open a 27/4 drop-in center within 12 months of May 1, 2016; and be it further
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats urge the opening of a second 24/7 drop-in center within 18 months from May 1, 2016; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu and members of the Honolulu City Council, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi supports banning conversion therapy for minors and adults as stated in the Health Care plank of our Party's Platform passed by unanimous vote at our 2014 State Convention; and
Whereas, President Barack Obama, along with every recognized medical professional organization from the World Psychiatric Association American Psychological Association, American Counseling Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American School Counselor Association, to the National Association of Social Workers have all come out against conversion therapy as a form of torture; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats support the banning of conversion therapy based on the overwhelming scientific fact there is no way to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, no matter what kind of adverse therapy a person is put through including but not limited to: inducing nausea, vomiting, or paralysis while showing the patient homoerotic images; providing electric shocks; having the individual snap an elastic band around the wrist when aroused by same-sex erotic images or thoughts; using shame to create aversion to same-sex attractions; orgasmic reconditioning; hypnosis; behavior and cognitive therapies; sex therapies; psychotropic medication; and satiation therapy; and be it further
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats support the banning of conversion therapy also based on the fact that this barbaric practice is detrimental to society as a whole since as it is totally futile and the side effects on the survivors are depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, shame, social withdrawal, suicidality, substance abuse, stress, disappointment, self-blame, decreased self-esteem and authenticity to others, hostility and blame toward parents, increased self-hatred, feelings of anger and betrayal, loss of friends and potential romantic partners, problems in sexual and emotional intimacy, sexual dysfunction, high-risk sexual behaviors, a feeling of being dehumanized and untrue to self, a loss of faith, and a sense of having wasted time and resources; and be it further
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats call upon all Oʻahu County Democrats that are a members of the Hawai'i State Legislature who are members of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i to support the introduction and passage of a bill in the 2017 Legislative Session that will ban conversion therapy outright; and be it further
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats call upon the Governor of the State of Hawai'i to support the legislation and once it is passed by the legislature to sign the bill that will ban conversion therapy outright into law; and be it further
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats call upon all members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation to introduce and support the passage of bill that would ban conversion therapy at the national level; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to all members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation, the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, all Oʻahu County Democrats that are members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature who are members of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, and the appropriate members of the Resolutions Committee for the 2016 State Convention for the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, Hawaiʻi citizens need the protection of free access to litigation of their sexual predators regardless of age or gender; and
Whereas, The State statute limits the time frame for a victims/survivors to file charges against sexual predators; and
Whereas, Sexual assault causes life-long damage to the mental, physical, emotional, and financial well-being of victims/survivors and their families; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the State of Hawaiʻi to end the statute of limitations for sexual assaults; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents has adopted Policy RP 9.205 on Political Activity, which requires all employees who, on their own time, campaign for a public office, to take a leave of absence without pay; and
Whereas, The policy states in part: "All employees under the jurisdiction of the board seeking a public elective office shall, without exception: a. Request, or in absence of such request, to be placed on a leave of absence without pay in accordance with university policy upon actively seeking political office, but in no event later than the filing of nomination papers or the announcement of candidacy for such office;" and
Whereas, This policy is applied not only to candidates for major political offices such as the legislature or city or county council, but also OHA, and neighborhood boards; and
Whereas, The rationale for this policy is that participation in our electoral democratic life creates a conflict of interest, an embarrassment to the university, and an appearance of impropriety; and
Whereas, This is an inappropriate form of censorship and an attempt to discourage participation in democracy that results in a de facto prohibition in that candidates must lose all of their income for several months, even if they subsequently lose an election; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents to repeal Policy RP 9.205 on Political Activity; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to University of Hawaiʻii Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate, the public sector unions, all neighborhood boards, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, The UH Mānoa ombuds office does not replace or undercut the efforts of existing administrators, but rather complements their efforts; and
Whereas, Busy UH officials cannot possibly devote enough time to the typical functions of an Ombudsman; and
Whereas, Such an office would address important issues including but not limited to:
Whereas, The absence of an independent and objective ombuds has exacerbated the trauma, drama, and rift between state decision makers and the university, leading to ongoing frustrations, criticisms, and standoffs regarding funding; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents to reestablish an independent ombuds office; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate, University student government organizations, the public sector unions, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, The National Center for Educational Statistics reported in 2015 that 45 states require arts instruction at the elementary level, 45 states require arts instruction at the middle school level, 44 states require arts instruction at the high school level, and 26 states require course credits in the arts for graduation; and
Whereas, Arts education is not required at any level in Hawai'i; and
Whereas, Our State Department of Education has reported a dramatic increase in the number and percentage of students in recent years who have "disadvantages," meaning they are English Learners, Special Education students, and coming from families that qualify them for free or reduced lunch; and
Whereas, Research suggests that arts education has a positive impact on school success for disadvantaged children; and
Whereas, Currently, there appears to be no overt strategy by either the State Board of Education or the Hawai'i Department of Education to increase arts education in Hawaiʻi public schools; and
Whereas, Arts education prepares students to engage meaningfully in their communities, strengthens perseverance, and develops students' capacity to persist in the face of a challenge; and
Whereas, Through arts study, students improve their abilities to turn barriers into opportunities, overcome difficulty in completing complex tasks, and sustain attention; and
Whereas, In a longitudinal study of 25,000 secondary school students, those with higher involvement in the arts scored better on measures of persistence than their peers with lower arts involvement; and
Whereas, In a major legislative proposal covering a wide range of reforms, the Hawai'i State Teachers Association has included a requirement for "whole child education," which is defined as "instruction in visual arts, music, theater, dance, Hawaiian and Polynesian studies, Hawaiian language, native Hawaiian culture, native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices, and physical education;" now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That Oʻahu Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the State Board of Education and the Department of Education to begin the process of requiring arts education and instruction at all levels of the K-12 system and incorporate this into their financial planning; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Education, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, According to Gallup, 5.1% of adults in Hawaiʻi self-identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT), which is the highest percentage of any U.S. state, second only to Washington D.C.; and
Whereas, There are over eighty full-time trial and appellate court judges in the Hawai'i State court system, very few of whom identify as LGBT; and
Whereas, The LGBT community appears to be underrepresented on the Hawaiʻi bench; and
Whereas, Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi support full equality for the LGBT community; and
Whereas, Oʻahu County Democrats recognize the importance of having a judicial system that fairly represents the diversity of Hawaiʻi's people; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats urge the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, members of the Hawaiʻi Senate, and the Judicial Selection Commission to nominate and appoint qualified attorneys that openly identify as LGBT to fill judicial vacancies; and be it further
Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats urge the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Speaker of the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives, the President of the Hawaiʻi Senate, and the Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court to consider the need for greater LGBT representation on the bench when appointing members of the Judicial Selection Commission; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Lieutenant Governor of the State Hawaiʻi, the Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court, Democratic members of the Legislature, the Judicial Selection Commission, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, Hawai'i has long affirmed the rights of individuals to make informed decisions regarding their health care at the end of life; and
Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi has, through duly-adopted prior platform planks, established a long history of support for and the endorsement of Death with Dignity for terminally ill patients at the end of life; now therefore, be it
Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the Legislature to take all measures to affirm the right of dying patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare, ensure that Hawai'i residents are provided with a full range of end of life options, including a decision to advance the time of death, and provide safeguards to ensure patients are in control if they choose Death with Dignity; and be it
Resolved, That Resolution OC 2012-2 is rescinded; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, the members of the Hawai'i Congressional delegation, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, Many university and college graduates that work under state contract through private employers are not able to utilize avenues of student loan reduction; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge expansion or creation of programs that focus on student loan reduction for public employees and employees working for private employers under state contracts for public services; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Democratic Members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, Educational funding is in desperate need of an influx of funding in order to teach the next generation of Hawaiian leaders; and
Whereas, Cannabis already has an extensive supply and delivery infrastructure in Hawaiʻi that as of now pays no tax and operates in the shadows; and
Whereas, The legal cannabis industry is projected to be worth $20 billion nationally by the year 2020, and the longer we wait the smaller the market share Hawaiʻi will receive; and
Whereas, Resolution OC 2013-02, the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urges legalization of cannabis for personal use; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the taxation of legalized cannabis for means of expanding funding for the educational system; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the members of the Hawaiʻi Congressional delegation, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
Whereas, The Oʻahu County Democrats Resolution OC 2013-03 urges the State Democratic Party and Democratic legislators to work together to secure passage of legislation to raise the minimum wage; and
Whereas, The cost of living in the State of Hawaiʻi has increased over the past three years; and
Whereas, Oʻahu County Democrats support the right of all citizens to earn a living wage; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That Resolution OC 2013-03 is rescinded; and be it further
Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats call upon the Democratic legislators to work during the interim to reach an agreement on passing a minimum wage of $15 an hour at the next legislative session; and be it further
Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats urge the State Democratic Party to make passage of a minimum rate hike to $15 an hour a top priority for the 2017 legislative session; and be it further
Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats call upon party members to rally to support such legislation in the 2017 session as well as press candidates seeking office as Democrats to pledge their support; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to all Democratic members of the State legislature and to the Resolutions Committee of the 2016 Hawaiʻi Democratic State Convention.
Whereas, Out of a population of 1,431,000 persons in the State of Hawai'i, more than 143,000 persons are affected by a rare disease, with more than half of these rare disease being specific to the Pacific region; and
Whereas, While the exact cause for many rare diseases remains unknown, eighty percent of rare diseases are genetic in origin and can be linked to a mutation in a single gene or in multiple genes and these genetic disease may be passed from generation to generation; and
Whereas, It is sound public policy that an advisory body of qualified persons be convened, including persons living with rare diseases, to encourage and fund research in the development of new treatments for rare disease; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats urge the creation of a Task Force to report to the Department of Health and the Legislature biennially on its activities, including findings and recommendations on issues relating to quality, cost effectiveness, and accessibility of treatments and services to persons with rare diseases in the State; and be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the members of the Hawaiʻi congressional delegation, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.
OC 2016-2. Supporting a Ban of Conversion Therapy
OC 2016-3. End Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assaults
OC 2016-4. Requesting That the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents Repeal its Policy of Discouraging Running for Public Office
OC 2016-5. Requesting that the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents Reinstate the University Ombuds Office
Whereas, All of these have been or are areas of concern for various stakeholders, particularly. items #1 "Communicating the views and voices of students, faculty, and staff to decision makers"; #8 "Student employment issues and disputes;" and #12 "Availability and transparency of public information regarding university policies, finances, decisions, and programs;" and
OC 2016-6. Requesting that the State Board of Education and Department of Education Require Arts Education and Instruction
OC 2016-7. Urging Appointment of Out LGBT Judges
OC 2016-8. On Death With Dignity
OC 2016-9. Urging that Student Loan Forgiveness or Reduction Measures Include Employees of Private Employers under State Contracts for Public Services
OC 2016-10. Urging Expansion of Educational Funding by Taxing Legalized Cannabis
OC 2016-11. To Increase Minimum Wage to $15 an hour
OC 2016-12. Requesting The Convening of a Statewide Rare Disease Task Force