Resolutions

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority (HTA), was established by Act 156, SLH, 1998, HRS 201b; and

WHEREAS, HTA's mission is of "managing the strategic growth of Hawai'i's visitor industry in a manner consistent with the economic goals, cultural values, and community interest of the people of Hawai'i" is specified in HTA"s Strategic Plan (Ke Kumu); and

WHEREAS, Tourism's success stems from the natural and cultural resources of the community. Hawaii's remarkable natural assets, cultural diversity, and world-renowned aloha spirit, combine to attract millions of visitors to Hawaii each year; and

WHEREAS, HTA's Ke Kumu Strategic Plan identifies that "we have a unique host Hawaiian culture, and our aloha spirit is acclaimed the world over" and that ""In order for Hawai'i to prosper and fulfill is potential to become a tourism leader in the millennium, the proper balance between staying competitive (demand) and keeping Hawai'i's cultures, values and product (supply) intact must be achieved" ; and

WHEREAS, most of the programs and projects currently funded by the HTA tout promotion and perpetuate preservation of Hawaiian music" dance" traditional art; and

WHEREAS, an HTA member is needed who has the knowledge, experience, and expertise in Native Hawaiian issues in order to identify, evaluate, and accredit, what is Native Hawaiian; and

WHEREAS, an HTA member is needed who has the knowledge, experience, and expertise in Native Hawaiian culture, values and issues in order to identify evaluate and recommend strategies to encourage public support and participation in tourism among the plurality of Native Hawaiians; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the amendment of HRS 201b to read "that the Governor of the State of Hawai'i, appoint a voting board member of the Hawaii Tourism Authority who has the knowledge, experience, and expertise in Native Hawaiian culture, values and issues to represent Native Hawaiians"; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the Natural Historic preserveion Act, Section 106 stresses that federal, state or county agencies must take into account the effects of their under takings on historic properties when using federal monies; and

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i State Constitution recognizes the value of conserving historic and cultural properties within the State regardless of funding source; and

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i Legislature has declared that Hawaiian history and culture are important assets, yet social and economic demands of contemporary society threaten to destroy remaining vestiges of this unique native heritage; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature further declared that it shall be the public policy of this State to provide leadership in preserving, restoring, and maintaining historic and cultural property, to ensure the administration of such historic and cultural property in a spirit of stewardship and trusteeship for future generations, and to conduct activities, plans, and programs in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of historic and cultural property; and

WHEREAS, to lessen adverse impacts and assure mitigation measures, project developers should hire Native Hawaiian cultural monitors to assure the implementation of these mitigations; and

WHEREAS, in recent development, without a cultural monitor, there have been irreplaceable losses of cultural assets, including burial sites and 'iwi; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the Legislature to amend HRS Chapter 6E-15 and 6E-16, relating to the regulations, special conditions or restrictions section of historic preservation, by including the adoption and use, by all government agencies and private sector developers, of Native Hawaiian cultural monitors and funding thereof; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Native Hawaiian cultural monitors, hired in consultation with the affected communities should demonstrate:

1. a cultural affiliation to the affected project area;
2. familiarity with the affected and anticipated cultural properties in the project area; and
3. known sensitivity and ability to represent and communicate on behalf of the Native Hawaiian community to developers;

WHEREAS, voters have difficulty deciding among a large field of candidates for a political office; and

WHEREAS, a Primary Election is held biannually for State and County offices to narrow the field of candidates before final selection; and

WHEREAS, it is unfair to target the State Office of Hawaiian Affairs by denying a Primary Election to candidates and constituencies; and

WHEREAS, good government depends on the wise and careful selection of officials; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED by the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i that the Hawai'i State Government is requested to provide a Primary Election for Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs similar to the process currently used in the election of members of the State Board of Education; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

Resolution 02-04. RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ENGAGE IN AND PROMOTE WIDESPREAD DISCUSSIONS AMONG PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND WITHIN COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE AN UNDERSTANDING FOR THE NEED TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY-- SCHOOL STEWARDSHIP SYSTEM.

WHEREAS, students in our public schools today will live and work in a global village in a century of unprecedented challenges, problems of vast social and economic inequalities, rapid technological change raising serious moral and ethical questions, and grave environmental concerns; and

WHEREAS, schools today in response to this challenge will be hard pressed to put into operation a curriculum paradigm that will prepare public school graduates to successfully navigate the economic, social, cultural, and political maze of the global village as well as the fundamental life questions posed by the dynamics of life in the 21st century; and

WHEREAS, at the dawn of the 21st century, communities across the nation and in Hawai'i are collapsing, and in this context schools are being looked upon more and more as community building magnets and as community centers for civic learning; and

WHEREAS, when communities become immersed in the teaching and affairs of their respective schools, student learning is enriched and becomes more reflective of the ideal "it takes a village to educate a child"; and

WHEREAS, community---school stewardship means the sharing of the responsibility and accountability for the welfare of the schools; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the State Legislature and the Board of Education to engage in and promote widespread discussion of the proposal to create a comprehensive community---school stewardship system; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature, Board of Education, and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i has a long, proud tradition of supporting broadened access to health coverage and insurance, striving to achieve universal coverage within the American model utilizing private industry partnered with the government; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i is committed to supporting steps that encourage a healthy employer/employee relationship; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i has as one goal the retention of valued employees and their experience in Hawaii, which can be improved through better employment benefits; 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 insureds and the relatively lower proportion of unpaid services that must be covered through increased insurance premiums; and

WHEREAS, current Hawai'i 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, due to variations in the economy, many employers have reduced the working hours of employees to less than 20 hours per week; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i recognizes the need to consider the possible impacts on employers when the employment relationship is used as a vehicle to accomplish social benefits; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the expansion of mandated pre-paid health coverages to part time employees through an approach that may include employer-paid premiums set as a proportion of a part time employee's monthly hours compared to that paid for an employee who qualifies under the current mandate; or alternatively to allow all part time employees to enroll in the employer's plan, even if the part time employee pays all of the premium; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

Resolution 02-06. RESOLUTION URGING ACTION AGAINST PRICE GOUGING BY OIL COMPANIES IN HAWAI'I.

WHEREAS, a cartel of oil companies, dominated by Chevron, sets and controls the price of gasoline and diesel fuel in Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, consumers, businesses, and the state and local governments in Hawai'i consistently pay the highest prices in the nation for gasoline and diesel fuel; and

WHEREAS, these exorbitant prices contribute to the overall high cost of living in Hawai'i and have a depressing effect on the state's economy; and

WHEREAS, Chevron has admitted in court that its price for gasoline sold in Hawai'i is more than forty cents a gallon higher than what it charges in California while the real differential in production and distribution cost is closer to four cents; and

WHEREAS, based on oil company court filings, gasoline and diesel fuel charges in Hawai'i during the calendar year 2001 amounted to more than $228 million in excess profits for the oil cartel; and

WHEREAS, the oil cartel has fought any attempt to moderate gasoline and diesel fuel prices in Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, this continuing price gouging by the oil cartel will further depress Hawai'i's already fragile economy; and

WHEREAS, Hawai'i's people will continue to be held as economic hostages to the individual and collective greed of the oil companies; and

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i State Legislature is presently considering measures designed to alleviate the captive position of Hawai'i's consumers and reduce the islands' cost of living resulting from the predatory practices of the oil cartel; and

WHEREAS, it has been proposed that a Hawai'i Fueling Authority be formed with power under the law to buy gasoline and diesel fuel on the world's spot market, transport it to Hawai'i, store that fuel, and sell it to independent gasoline and diesel fuel retail dealers, or erect its own retail facilities; and

WHEREAS, the proposed Hawai'i Fuel Authority's activities would result in a more competitive free enterprise system in the gas and diesel fuel industry in Hawai'i, reduce the wholesale cost of such fuel to retail dealers, result in a savings to the consumer annually of approximately a quarter of a billion dollars, and appreciably reduce Hawai'i's high cost of living; and

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i State Legislature was not formally presented with a proposal to establish a Hawai'i Fueling Authority; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED that the O'ahu Democratic Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i condemns the predatory pricing practices of the oil companies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the O'ahu Democratic Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges all Democratic Party candidates for positions in the Hawai'i Legislature and for Governor of Hawai'i to engage in and promote widespread discussion among candidates and within the community in order to promote broad understanding and support for legislation empowering the establishment of a State Fuel Authority to import and distribute gasoline and diesel fuel to independent dealers in competition with the oil cartel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

Resolution 02-07. RESOLUTION SUPPORTING FEDERAL LEGISLATION WHICH CLARIFIES THE UNITED STATES' RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIVE HAWAIIANS

WHEREAS, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Morton v. Mancari, 417 U.S. 535 (1974) , noting that Indian tribes have a "unique status. ..under federal law" and that Congress has a "plenary power" to "regulate commerce. ..with the Indian tribes; which "is drawn both explicitly and implicitly from the Constitution itself" (Article I, section 8, clause 3) and that the Constitution "gives the President the power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties. ..with Indian tribes" (Article II, section 2, clause 2), held that an employment preference program for Indians was not suspect as racial discrimination, stating; "[t]he preference is not directed towards a 'racial' group consisting of 'Indians'; instead, it applies only to members of 'federally recognized' tribes" and "[t] his operates to exclude many individuals who are racially classified as 'Indians' " and "[i]n this sense, the preference is political rather than racial in nature."' (417 U.S. 535, at 553, n. 24); and

WHEREAS, although the basic premise of Morton v. Mancari decision has come under attack over the years following its pronouncement" it is still the law of the land; and

WHEREAS, in virtually the eleventh hour of the Bush administration (January 13, 1993), the Office of the Solicitor General of the U.S. Department of the Interior issued an opinion calling the Hawaiians Homes Program "unconsti tutional" , saying that, since the Program was not protected by inclusion under the provisions of the U.S. Constitution which provide that native American "tribal governments" or "Indian nations" can be treated differently than other segments of the population and that their citizens or members have a special status and, because of the beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Program were merely members of an unprotected "racial classification" and not members of a "tribal nation", the Program's basis in the law was fatally flawed; and

WHEREAS, then Governor John D. Waihee III requested that President Clinton have the opinon repudiated, whereupon, yielding to pressure from the White House, the Interior Department caused the opinion to be withdrawn, but the aforementioned opinion has never been repudiated; and

WHEREAS, on June 12, 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Adarand Constructors Inc. v. Pena, 115 S.Ct. 2097 (1995), ruled that all government action based on race is subject to detailed judicial inquiry to ensure that personal rights to equal protection under the law have not been infringed and that all "racial classifications" imposed by government must be analyzed under "strict scrutiny" (i.e. such classifications are constitutional only if they are "narrowly tailored measures that further compelling government interest" [emphasis supplied] .Se also City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 109 S.Ct. 706 [1989]); and

WHEREAS" a 1997 opinion issued by the General Counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration said that the payment of a share of the landing fees collected at Honolulu International Airport and other state airports which operate on so-called "ceded land" to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (O.H.A. ) under Section 5(f) of the Admissions Act (establishing the Public Land Trust and providing that a portion of thEk so-called "ceded land revenue" be used "for the betterment of conditions of native Hawaiians" as defined in the Hawaiian Homes Act") was also illegal" for the reasons cited in the 1993 opinion of the Solicitor General of the U.S. Department of the Interior; and

WHEREAS, in 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Rice v. Cayetano, held that the denial by the State of Hawai'i of Plaintiff Rice's right to vote in OHA elections violates the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and

WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians are also specifically designated as beneficiaries under the Native American Programs Act and numerous other pieces of federal legislation, including those which benefit Hawaiians through the entrepreneurship and employment training and other programs of Alu Like, Inc., the Native Hawaiian health programs of Papa Ola Lokahi and its sister island agencies and the Native Hawaiian Education Program, which programs have provided millions of federal dollars to address social problems suffered by Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, the constitution and certain statutes of the State of Hawai'i contain specific provisions concerning and preserving the rights of Native Hawaiians" including "all rights, customarily and traditionally exercised for subsistence, cultural and religious purposes and possessed by ahupua'a tenants who are descendants of native Hawaiians who inhabited the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778, subject to the right of the State to regulate such rights" (Article XII, Section 7, Constitution of the State of Hawai'i), and the principle that "Hawaiian judicial precedent" and "Hawaiian usage" may override common law (Section 1-1, Hawai'i Revised Statutes) ; and

WHEREAS, there is dire concern that the hard-earned rights of Native Hawaiians to certain entitlements, benefits, special programs, set-asides and monies both at the federal and state levels, which are considered merely racially based, appear to be in jeopardy as a result of the Rice v. Cayetano decision and expected future litigation based on the rulings in Adarand Constructors, Inc., v. Pena, Rice v. Cayetano and similar cases; and

WHEREAS, on July 20, 2000, the congressional delegation from the State of Hawai'i caused to be introduced simultaneously in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives important legislation which would clarify the United States' relationship with the Native Hawaiians and facilitate Native Hawaiian initiatives toward gaining federal recognition and a native American quasisovereign government; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the support of Federal legislation which clarifies the United States' relationship with Native Hawaiians; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

Resolution 02-08. RESOLUTION URGING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO ACTIVATE THE 0'AHU HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION BY FUNDING IT AND APPOINTING ITS MEMBERS

WHEREAS, in 1993 the City Council of the City and Count of Honolulu unanimously signed into law Bill 18 establishing a Historic Preservation Commission to identify, protect, preserve, restore and rehabilitate historic properties of the City and County of Honolulu, Island of O'ahu, particularly prehistoric Hawaiian sites not already included on the Hawaii or national registers of historic places; and

WHEREAS, the Commission is designed to be attached to the Planning Department and consist of nine members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council that shall be from disciplines representative of history, archaeology, architecture, planning and Hawaiian culture chosen from lists submitted by community organizations, including the O'ahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; and

WHEREAS, although Bill 18 was enacted into law as Ordinance 93-55 on June 10, 1993, it was subsequently vetoed by Mayor Frank Fasi, and the City Council voted unanimously to override the mayor's veto and succeeded a court challenge in 1999, thereby allowing Ordinance 93-55 to remain as law; and

WHEREAS, to date the law has remained on the books since 1993 and has never been put into effect and the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu has chosen instead to appoint an Advisory Committee to the Mayor rather than provide by law a review process on projects that potentially impact on culturally significant sites within County jurisdiction; and

WHEREAS, such an Advisory body undermines the intent of full accountability to the general public and the Hawaiian community and limits the intended purpose of the Commission to enhance the educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of the county through comprehensive historic preservation planning and administration with special emphasis on the cultural resources of the native people; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, by the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i that urges the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu to activate the O'ahu Historic Preservation Commission by funding it and appoint its members; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Council Members of the City and County of Honolulu, and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

Resolution 02-09. RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO RE-ENACT THE PROVISIONS OF "ACT 304, SLH 1990" AND TO IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE SOURCES OF FUNDING, OTHER THAN AIRPORT TRUST FUND REVENUES, TO ASSURE TRUST PAYMENTS TO THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIR

WHEREAS, controversies surrounding the calculation and payment of the twenty percent share of incomes generated from the use of 5(b) and other ceded lands to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (ORA) led to protracted court challenges, contested rulings, and a general ill-feeling between the state and Hawaiian beneficiaries; and

WHEREAS, successful negotiations between ORA and the Office of the then Governor John D. Waihee III to resolve these controversies led to the legislative passage of "Act 304, SLH 1990" to clarify which lands and what activities generating incomes, were subject to the ORA pro rata computation; and

WHEREAS, continuing disputes regarding trust payments to ORA were entered into court" upheld by a summary judgment issued by First Circuit Judge Heely and then appealed to the Hawai'i State Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, on September 12, 2001, the Hawai'i State Supreme ruled Act 304 invalid because funds from the Airport Trust Fund" in violation of federal law, were used for payments to ORA and, consistent with provision 16 of the Act, then repealed the entirety of this law; and

WHEREAS, in its conclusion, the Hawai'i State Supreme Court noted: "...now, more than twenty years later, as we continue to struggle with giving effect to that enactment, 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 obligation; and

WHEREAS, it is the constitutional, legal and moral obligation of the State of Hawai'i to honor its trust obligations to the Hawaiian peoples;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i, that the Hawai'i State Legislature be urged to re-enact the provisions of "Act 304" SLH 1990, and identify appropriate sources of funding, other than Airport Trust Fund revenues, to assure trust payments to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

Resolution 02-10. RESOLUTION URGING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SYSTEM OF HAWAIIAN EDUCATION

WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians constitute the most undereducated major ethnic group in the State, experiencing the highest percentage of educational and societal failure; and

WHEREAS, the State has fallen short of promoting the study of Hawaiian culture, history and language and providing for a Hawaiian education program consisting of language, culture and history in the public schools, as mandated by Article X of the State Constitution of 1978; and

WHEREAS, according to Paragraph 14 of the International Covenant of the Right of Indigenous Nations, drafted in Geneva in 1994, all indigenous peoples, including the native people of Hawai'i, have a right to "all levels and forms of education, including access to education in their own languages, and the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions according to their own customs and traditions;" and

WHEREAS, according to Article 1.7.1 of the Coolangatta Statement, ratified by thousands of indigenous educators at the 1999 World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education in Hilo, "meaningful, empowering and culturally sustainable education for indigenous people will be possible only when indigenous people have the control (a fundamental right) and the resources (an inarguable responsibility of States/governments) to develop educational theories, curriculum and practices that are indigenous and determine the environment within which this education can best occur"; and

WHEREAS, the federally funded Native Hawaiian Education Council, comprised of stellar educators from throughout the archipelago, listed in their 1998 report as one of their three goals, the establishment of a culturally-driven, familyoriented and community-based system of Hawaiian education; and

WHEREAS, the federal government has officially supported Native American control of education since the 1960's; and

WHEREAS, Kanu o ka 'aina New Century Public Charter School, a native designed and controlled charter school located in Waimea on the Island of Hawai'i has proven that Hawaiian communities can create successful, quality models of K-12 education; and

WHEREAS, the Native Hawaiian Charter Schools provide evidence that Hawaiian communities throughout the archipelago are ready, willing and able to work together to change their present reality of high percentages of welfare recipients, adult prisoners and incarcerated juveniles, by creating quality culturally-driven models of education and by controlling their educational processes at the community level; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, by the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i, that the Federal government be urged to support and fund the initiation of a native designed and controlled comprehensive system of Hawaiian education that is culturally-driven, family-oriented and community-based and provide educational opportunities for Native Hawaiians of all abilities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislature of the State of Hawai'i be urged to work together with the federal government in supporting and funding the initiation of a native designed and controlled comprehensive system of Hawaiian education that spans from womb to tomb; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislature of the State of Hawai'i be urged to amend Act 62 relating to new century public charter schools by lifting the cap on allowable charter schools and approve the creation of an independent, non-contiguous school district made up of native designed and controlled charter schools as the initial increment of a Hawaiian system of education; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, place names are an important part of Hawai'i's history, documenting historical events and genealogies; and

WHEREAS, lands were confiscated with the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom and under the jurisdiction of a foreign entity many Native place names were changed and/or renamed; and

WHEREAS, due to development and natural causes, many of Hawai'i's natural landmarks have been destroyed leaving names, stories and history forgotten; and

WHEREAS, the stories and histories of place names that were traditionally passed down orally from generation to generation; and

WHEREAS, the suppression of the Hawaiian language and culture disrupted this tradition and helped erode place names; and

WHEREAS, not all the stories and history of places are documented in writing; and

WHEREAS, Article XV, section 4, provides that "English and Hawaiian shall be the official languages of Hawai'i" and the Constitutional Convention history stated that, "Your Committee decided...to give full recognition and honor to the rich cultural inheritance that Hawaiians have given to all ethnic groups of this State, by making Hawaiian an official language of the State..to overcome certain insults of the past where the speaking of Hawaiian was forbidden in the public school system, and of today where Hawaiian is listed as a foreign language in the language department of the University of Hawai'i"; and

WHEREAS, all history and stories related to Hawaiian place names need to be preserved for future generations; and

WHEREAS, the only way to preserve the history and stories, are to preserve the original Native Hawaiian place names;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic party of Hawaii, urge the State of Hawai'i and the City and Counties of state to preserve and use Hawaiian place names, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, and the members of the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, cultural heritage resource areas are significant historic sites which include places, structures, and objects; and

WHEREAS, these resources may be of value for educational, scientific, interpretive, traditional, religious and spiritual reasons and help us to be aware of our origins, our history, and our traditions and may be found on both private as well as public lands; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) acknowledged in 1994 that "the State has a unique natural environment and culture and these resources have begun to suffer from overuse and lack of adequate revenues to sustain them"; and

WHEREAS, presently there is no legal entity to monitor and regulate ecotourism operators; and

WHEREAS, at the State's first "Hawaii State Conference on Ecotourism in October 1994", recommendations were made to: 1) review the regulatory process and reconsider the requirements for studies, permits, licenses and fees necessary for ecotourism operators; 2) increase community awareness and involvement in the planning and decision-making processes in ecotourism development; and

WHEREAS, numerous cultural heritage resource areas such as historic site, trails, and archeological treasures are being violated, destroyed or put at risk; and

WHEREAS, local residents have a greater knowledge of the locations of these sites, trails and archaeological treasures and are in a geographically beneficial position to observe these ecotourism groups on a regular basis; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the Hawai'i State Legislature to protect cultural heritage resource areas by creating District Commissions/Councils to regulate and monitor the various types of ecotourism operators licensed to operate in their respective districts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these district commissions and councils work with OHA, DLNR, DBEDT and other such designated State and County agencies to ensure that further unnecessary destruction of the environment and desecration of cultural heritage resource areas are stopped; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature, Mayors and Council members of the Counties of the State of Hawai'i, and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is strategically located in the Pacific Ocean and a strong, healthy Naval base is in the best interest of National Security; and

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is the largest industrial employer in the State of Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard spends in excess of 450 million dollars in material purchases, contracts to local businesses and payroll costs, and;

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard provides for trade and skills training for the youth of Hawai'i through the Apprentice program in partnership with the University of Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard has the capacity to accomplish more Navy ship repair work with an increased skilled workforce; and,

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard has the capacity to accomplish more Navy ship repair work with an increased skilled workforce; and

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard employed 6900 employees in 1989, experienced a 58% reduction in workforce and currently employs 3200 employees; and

WHEREAS Pearl Harbor was the Homeport for 41 Navy Ships and Submarines in 1989, and currently is the Homeport for 31 Navy Ships and Submarines; and

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard provided Navy contract work for 65 to 75% of the private ship repair industry in Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard needs to be "right sized" for its current and future workload to allow Pearl Harbor and the Navy to maintain and overhaul ships in Hawai'i, and;

WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard would require the hiring of 700 to 800 permanent civilian employees over the next two years to obtain the necessary skilled personnel to execute Navy work and has a application list of 1,000 qualified local applicants seeking employment at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the United States Navy to increase the workload and employment in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and to utilize the full capacity of the Hawaiian ship repair and supply industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the United State Navy to brief the State Legislature and the community business leaders on the future work load plans for Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the efforts of the community leadership in their efforts to secure an increase in workload and workforce in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic

WHEREAS, Health care spending increases for the year 2002 averaged 13 to 16 percent, with prescription drug costs as the primary factor. The escalating cost of providing prescription drug coverage to Medicaid beneficiaries and state employees has prompted many states to look for strategies to control costs by paying lower prices for pharmaceuticals through multi-state purchasing agreements and other pooling arrangements, generic substitution, and disease management programs. Bulk purchasing provides a means to obtain deep discounts on pharmaceuticals by combining the pool of consumers and increasing the purchaser's bargaining power with manufacturers; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recently announced the creation of a new waiver program that pools Medicaid and Medicare dollars to provide low-income seniors with prescription drug coverage. The waiver offers states a generous matching rate and only Illinois has been awarded one; and

WHEREAS, the state of Maine enacted legislation establishing the Maine Rx program, designed to lower the cost of prescription drugs by negotiating prescription drug prices for the uninsured or the insured who don't have drug coverage, Medicaid, and prescription drug programs for seniors; and

WHEREAS, runaway prescription drug costs are creating a major crisis for this country's and Hawaii's healthcare system. Spending on drugs grew faster than spending in any other personal health category during the last three years; and

WHEREAS, the United States has the highest drug prices in the world and is the only industrialized country not to have imposed some form of price controls on prescription drugs and American-made drugs typically sell for 15 percent to 30 percent less in Canada than in the United States; and

WHEREAS, pharmaceutical inflation in 2000 accounted for 25 percent of overall increases in the cost of health care and these increases have helped to make the pharmaceutical industry the most profitable industry in the world and the large drug manufacturers are experiencing median net profits of over 20 percent--4.5 times the median profits for the average Fortune 500 company; and

WHEREAS, employers are increasingly passing off portions of the cost increases to employees in the form of higher prescription cost-sharing provisions. Many employers have also placed restrictions on the type of pharmaceuticals covered by health plans, and in some jurisdictions, employers are capping prescription drug coverage at a specific dollar amount; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i:

1. Calls on the State Legislature and Governor to pursue a variety of avenues to control the cost of prescription drugs, including entering into multi-state purchasing pools and seeking administrative relief from the federal government under its new Pharmacy Plus Program; and
2. Advocates for federal or state legislation similar to the Fair Market Drug Pricing Act model legislation that attempts to control escalating costs by negotiating discounts and rebates; and
3. Urges the education of Party members and the larger community on issues that affect access to affordable prescription drugs;

WHEREAS, strong and free labor unions are necessary to preserve and defend the legitimate rights of working people to participate with dignity in the political and economic life of their communities and states; and

WHEREAS, the success of organized labor raises the standard of living generally, expanding and fostering the growth of the State's middle class; and

WHEREAS, so-called "Right-to-work" and "Paycheck Protection" laws have over the years been proposed to allow workers to gain the benefits of collective bargaining without joining the union or paying union dues or service fees; and

WHEREAS, famed business advisor Peter Drucker has said, "Union Security is also in the social interest. without it, no union can be expected to accept the responsibility for labor relations and for contract observance which our society must demand of a successful union movement"; and

WHEREAS, that great Democratic President, Harry S Truman has likewise commented, "You will find some people saying that they are for the so-called 'Right-to-Work' law, but they also believe in unions. This is absurd -it"s like saying you are for motherhood but against children " ; and

WHEREAS, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. most eloquently warned us all that, "in our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as 'right-to-work'. It provides no 'rights' and no 'works.' Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining, we demand this fraud be stopped"; and

WHEREAS, the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i reaffirms its commitment to collective bargaining; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i opposes the introduction, consideration or enactment of any so-called "Right-to-Work" or "Pay Check Protection" bills which would seek to limit, restrict, or control a duly constituted and democratically run labor organization from collecting and using dues or representation fees for such lawful purposes as our national labor laws allow; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i State Democratic Platform in 2000 affirmed the Dignity of Labor and expressed the Democratic Party's commitment to the achievement of a living wage for all Hawai'i's workers; and

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i State Democratic Platform in 2000 further expressed the belief that our government, even while seeking operational efficiency, must never exploit its labor force, erode prevailing wages, or compromise the principle that government money, derived from the taxes of all of us, shall not be used to depress the wages or standard of living of any of us; and

WHEREAS, Over 50 Living Wage ordinances have been passed in the United States since 1991, improving living standards for low-wage workers without overburdening public funds or harming the local economies; and

WHEREAS, paying no more than the current state and federal minimum wages leaves most workers in Hawaii far under the poverty level for a family of four; and

WHEREAS, privatization of government services without the protections of a living wage statute similar to the federal Service Contracts Act favors contractors whose low bids are based on payment of minimum wages and benefits; and

WHEREAS, people who are paid enough to support their families, not only are they less dependent on government aid, but they also pay more taxes and buy more goods and services, stimulating local economic growth; and

WHEREAS, in 1933 that greatest of all Democrats, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, boldly expressed his administration's policy that "No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level. I mean the wages of a decent living."; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i reaffirms its commitment to passage of a statewide living wage law and service contact act that will let Government in Hawaii show by example that payment of living wages and benefits is the best way to uplift our economy and the standard of living for all Hawai'i's working families; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, Federal Prevailing Wage laws and State's Prevailing Wage Laws have been in effect for over sixty years and have been effective in protecting a decent standard of living for workers in local areas where the laws have been implemented; and

WHEREAS, prevailing Wage Laws were enacted to prevent the erosion of living wages by out-of-state employers who ship from one state to another low wage, under-trained, unskilled workers, to work on a locality's government construction projects to the detriment of construction quality and of that locality's workers' employment opportunities; and

WHEREAS, Hawai'i's construction workers living wages have made the construction industry a cornerstone of Hawai'i's economy by elevating the construction trade class of workers into the stable economic middle class; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of Hawai'i reaffirms its commitment to the guiding principles first articulated by the Democratic Party in 1955 that bids for construction of public works should be based on the relative skill and efficiency of the contractors concerned and not on a difference in wages paid, and that government money, coming from the taxes of all of us, should not be used to subsidize contractors who are depressing the wages of some of us; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i reaffirms and encourages the strengthening of the Federal and Hawai'i's prevailing wage laws as a means of insuring public construction of high quality, reasonable costs, and furthering the economic well being of workers in Hawai'i; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i believes and supports the concept that "government's equal application and enforcement of the laws are fundamental to a just society" ; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i's Preamble states that "we opened the doors that lead to economic, political, and social opportunity for all of our people. And we remain dedicated to the principle that equal opportunity and individual freedom are fundamental to our democracy"; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i's vision "is guided by traditional commitments to equality, opportunity, compassion, inclusiveness, and the celebration of our diversity"; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i believes and supports fairness. And "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";

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i recognizes that a quality public education and is fundamental to our democracy and to our state's economic, political, and social welfare; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Hawai'i has a long-standing recognition and support for directed issue caucus and groups and their active involvement in the Democratic Party and in promotion of government policy-making; and

WHEREAS, the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i unanimously recognized the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Caucus as an official caucus of the Party at its January 12, 2002 meeting; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports and promotes justice and equality regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity for such issues and concerns as: 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; 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 will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the Barber's Point military facility has been turned over to the State of Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawai'i and the City and County of Honolulu have created a master plan for the redevelopment of Barber's Point; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawai'i has a master plan designating Kapolei as the new City and growth areas for new opportunities in business and employment on O'ahu; and

WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu also has designated and created a master plan for the Kapolei area as the new city on O'ahu for business and employment development for the Island; and

WHEREAS, there have been delays in the conversion of Barber's Point from a military installation to Public domain and use; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawaii supports the clean up of the military base by the federal government, and requests that the State of Hawai'i appropriate the investment for the infrastructure so the land and facilities may accommodate the public use; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports local communities' continued involvement in the present and future decisions made in the redevelopment of Barber's Point; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the State of Hawai'i has designated Kapolei as the new city and growth areas for new opportunities in business and employment on O'ahu; and

WHEREAS, the Master Plan for the State projects University of Hawa'i - West O'ahu as part of the educational program for new growth; and

WHEREAS, the Master Plan for the University of Hawai'i projects the building of University of Hawai'i -West O'ahu by 2007; and

WHEREAS, the business development in the new city would be greatly enhanced by and educational facility to support education and training; and

WHEREAS, West O'ahu has the population to support an institution of higher education; and

WHEREAS, the completion of University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu will affect the daily traffic flow from West O'ahu to Honolulu; and

WHEREAS, new efforts are being made to partner the private sector with the higher educational sector in Travel Industry Management and Ocean Study Education training programs and facilities that will be integrated with University of Hawai'i -West O'ahu; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the completion of University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu as planned in the present time line by advocating for an appropriate budget to build and staff University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu in the Kapolei area; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i advocates and supports the development of private/public partnerships to provide more educational and employment opportunities for the communities in Central and West O'ahu; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the segment of the population over age eighty-five, the segment most likely to require long-term care, will grow over three times its current size by 2040 in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, impossible financial and social hardships will be placed on Hawai'i's families as their members become disabled; and

WHEREAS, current methods of financing long-term care largely involve Medicaid and personal assets; and

WHEREAS, the majority of Hawai'i's older adults have incomes above the poverty level, yet are too low to cover costly long-term care; and

WHEREAS, because increasing numbers of Hawaii's residents will need longterm care, there is a compelling need to create an affordable and sustainable method of financing those services; and<> WHEREAS, any program that is created in response to these needs should promote individual choice and discretion in selecting and paying for long-term care services; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i encourages state government to develop and implement a financing plan for a dedicated source of revenue to support the long-term care needs of all citizens in the State regardless of income; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that to the extent possible, the long-term care financing program should be administered by the private sector, with the government involvement limited to an oversight and quality monitoring role; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, the future of Aging in Hawai'i is one of the most compelling and demanding issues facing the State; and

WHEREAS, by 2020, adults age 60 and over will comprise more than one-fourth of the adult population in the State; and

WHEREAS, these issues will grow increasingly important as the State attempts to grapple with the demands for assistance by these citizens and their caregivers; and

WHEREAS, a number of different agencies within State government serve the elderly and disabled populations; and

WHEREAS, about one-third of state governments in the United States have consolidated these functions into a single department; and

WHEREAS, a cabinet-level presence will help State government focus its efforts on the needs and demands associated with aging and disabilities communities; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Convention of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i shall encourage State government to develop a Department of Aging to effectively administer the State's aging and long-term care programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the new Department of Aging shall develop policies and coordinate the planning and implementation of State programs relating to aging and long-term care and to determine ways to effectively increase the availability of long-term care services and benefits to the elderly and disabled; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Aging shall have primary jurisdiction over all matters relating to the administration of the State's aging and long-term care programs except as otherwise provided by law; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the Governor, Democratic members of the Legislature and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, our remarkable progress in securing reproductive rights over the past 40 years is at risk at the federal and state levels as we currently face a federal government that is an adversary to basic family planning and sexuality education, as well as to the woman's right to choose an abortion; and

WHEREAS, at the Federal level, the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that protects a women's right to privacy and to personal reproductive selfdetermination, without government intrusion, in choosing an abortion, is now under intense assault and has been eviscerated by subsequent government and court decisions, such as waiting periods and parental consent regulations and holds a razor-thin one-vote majority on the Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, since the 1980's anti-choice administrations have consistently "packed the bench" with anti-choice federal judges and senior administrators and as many as 170 federal judges could be appointed during the current presidential term; and

WHEREAS, 80,000 women die from unsafe abortion and maternal and child health suffers greatly in areas lacking reproductive health care services while the United States government forces foreign organizations receiving United States funding for family planning services to choose between meeting the family planning needs of their patients and being able to counsel patients on the option of abortion; and

WHEREAS, the federally endorsed policy of abstinence-only education has been shown to be an ineffective method of reducing teen pregnancy, however nationwide eighty-six percent of school districts with a sexuality education policy require promotion of abstinence, and 35 percent require abstinence to be taught as the only option for unmarried people, while either prohibiting the discussion of contraception altogether or limiting discussion to contraceptive failure rates and in Hawaii, there can be no discussion of contraception in the DOE sex education programs;

WHEREAS, in the last legislative session alone, Hawai'i legislators introduced 45 bills that sought to limit access to abortion, restrict choice, or remove reproductive freedom entirely; and

WHEREAS, the Hawai'i Healthcare Systems Corporation sought to limit access to abortion to teens by policy, an action that was later rescinded because of public pressure but such action has effectively eliminated access to abortion to teens on the neighbor islands and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party has always been the party of "choice" and has always supported the reproductive freedom of women; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges Hawai'i Democrats to protect the reproduction rights of all people in the State of Hawai'i; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Democratic Party of Hawai'i include in its Party Platform an affirmative statement for a woman's right to choose whether or not to have children; support access to affordable domestic and international family planning services; support the provision of medically accurate sexuality education programs in the schools; support laws that require insurance companies and HMOs to cover contraceptives as they do other prescription drugs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be delivered to the State Democratic Party of Hawai'i Chair, State Central Committee Chair, and Executive Director, and the Hawai'i State Democratic Convention.

WHEREAS, Hawai'i, the foundation of Aloha, was given to the people from the Source of all creation since time immemorial, nurturing their bodies, minds and spirits giving rise to a uniform cry to their devotion for Hawaiian sovereignty; and

WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians proclaim their right to control their destiny, to nurture the integrity of their people and culture, and to preserve the quality of life they desire; and recognizing that wisdom from the past forms the spring board into the future, Ua mau kea o ka 'aina i ka pono; and

WHEREAS, only in Pono are they able to build a society worthy of dignity of their past and the hope for their future, forming the guiding principle upon which Hawai'i today must stand recognizing all the Divine elements of Hawai'i –of life, of change, of humanity, and all the natural elements and forces -the sun, the wind, the fresh and salt water., the land and the people who populate Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, Native Hawaiians proclaim their right to build a government based upon partnership, recognizing the integrity of the distinct host people and culture of this land and the special place to be established within the government for their protection and perpetuation, also, recognizing equally the human rights and fundamental freedol1lS to be accorded every person of Hawai'i within the governmental framework; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by this 0'ahu County Democratic Party Convention, on this Fourth day of May , 2002, that this Convention support the continuing right of self-determination for the Native Hawaiian people and for the people of Hawai'i, and afford the people opportunity for self-governance.

Resolution 02-25. RESOLUTION ON DEATH WITH DIGNITY

WHEREAS, medical science and technology are greatly prolonging life -creating many new and complex philosophical perspectives;

WHEREAS, since the implementation of the Death With Dignity initiative in Oregon, the quality of end of life care, pain management, and the use of hospice have all greatly increased;

WHEREAS, Hawai'i was the first state to recognize a woman's right to make personal choices about their body;

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that issues surrounding physician assisted suicide are reserved for the states to decide; Whereas since 1997 the state of Oregon has recognized this personal choice of her citizens;

WHEREAS, on April17th, 2002, the 9th Circuit Court for the second time indemnified this states right in Oregon;

WHEREAS, out of the 180,000 deaths occurring during the five years since the citizens of Oregon Death With Dignity initiative was implemented, only 91 people have exercised this freedom of choice;

WHEREAS, recent polls indicate an overwhelming percentage of Hawaii's voters support the concept of Death With Dignity;

WHEREAS, the 2002 Hawai'i State House of Representatives passed Death With Dignity legislation based upon the Oregon law;

WHEREAS, the 2002 Hawai'i State Senate failed to pass this Death With Dignity legislation by only three votes;

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States created a defined separation of church and state;

WHEREAS, Hawai'i is home to the most diverse number of religions than any other state in the union;

WHEREAS, superimposing the beliefs of anyone religion on such a diverse religious population is inherently wrong;

THEREFORE BE IT NOW RESOLVED that the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the continuing support in the state of Hawai'i for education regarding end of life issues including the discussion of the Death With Dignity philosophy;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be delivered and presented to the 2002 Democratic Party State Convention.