Resolutions

Whereas, The Women's Caucus of the Hawai`i State Democratic Party believes that when a victim of violent crime that results in physical injury seeks medical attention, the health care system should do everything possible to respond and administer medically necessary care; and

Whereas, The Women's Caucus of the Hawai`i State Democratic Party believes that sexual assault, or rape, is a crime that is violent, traumatic, and the ultimate, intimate violation in which a woman loses all sense of personal control, decision making, and dignity, and in which she is physically and psychologically violated; and

Whereas, Healers are responsible for providing victims with information regarding procedures being followed to ease pain, information critical to decisions regarding injuries, information regarding the risks of sexually transmitted disease, and honest information about the risks of pregnancy and emergency contraception; and

Whereas, According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Emergency Physicians, the accepted standard of care for victims of sexual assault includes the provision of emergency contraception, if desired; and

Whereas, Rape victims and victims of sexual assault deserve the fullest and best care available according to the standards set by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other professional medical groups; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O`ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai`i, in order to assure that victims of rape and sexual assault receive the fullest and best care available, supports legislation requiring all hospital emergency rooms in the State to adhere to the accepted standard of care for victims of rape and sexual assault, including the administration of emergency contraception without delay and without adding insult to injury by requiring patient transfer to another institution; and be it further

Resolved, Thatall hospitals in the State are urged to ensure that all hospital emergency personnel are properly trained in handling the special needs of rape victims including the education and provision of emergency contraceptive services; and be it further

Resolved, That certified copies of this resolution be transmitted to all Democratic members of the Hawai`i State Legislature and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of Hawai'i mandates that: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the state on account of sex"; and

Whereas, The Hawai'i Supreme Court found that the State "failed to establish or prove that the public interest in the well-being of children and families, or the optimal development of children will be adversely affected by same-sex marriage;" and

Whereas, The State enacted legislation restricting marriage to opposite sex couples, effectively denying same-sex couples and their families equal protection under the law; and

Whereas, A worldwide movement advocating for marriage equality has resulted in same-sex couples having access to marriage in Connecticut, District of Columbia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont as well as Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, South Africa and Sweden without any adverse impact on the institution of marriage; and

Whereas, Hawai'i's competitiveness in the global marketplace can be significantly enhanced by treating all families equally under the law, as has been demonstrated by leading universities, Fortune-500 companies, and visitor destinations worldwide who have adopted legislation and policies recognizing same-sex couples and their families with great success; and

Whereas, Civil marriage is a civil right that does not impinge on any religion, nor require that any denomination perform a same-sex marriage ceremony if it is inconsistent with their religious beliefs; and

Whereas, An increasing number religious denominations would perform a same-sex marriage ceremony if it were legal; and

Whereas, The Democratic Party of the State of Hawai'i has previously affirmed that the state should not interfere with couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities and commitment of civil marriage, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i finds the current state statute defining marriage as solely the union between one man and one woman to be unfair and inconsistent with our fundamental belief that all citizens are entitled to be treated equally under the law; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Democrats call on all Democrats statewide to help raise awareness about the discrimination that exists for same-sex couples and their families; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Democrats call upon our Hawai'i legislators to pass legislation to ensure that all families are treated equally under the law as required by the Constitution of the State of Hawai'i; including but not limited to, equal access to marriage licenses, and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to all of the Hawai'i Democratic Party candidates for Hawai'i Senate and Hawai'i House of Representatives and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The Women's Caucus of the Hawai`i State Democratic Party believes that Hawai`i needs a comprehensive public policy to help people save and build assets; and

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, During tough economic and financial times, families need assets and savings to keep them stable and prevent them from falling into poverty; and

Whereas, One in five households in Hawai`i have zero or negative net worth, the 6th worst ranking among the states and Hawai`i has the lowest average annual pay out of any state including the District of Columbia, making it difficult for families to make ends meet, pay off debt, build savings, start businesses, or buy homes; and

Whereas, Women in Hawai'I have higher rates of economic insecurity because they have lower earnings than men ($27,101 compared to $36,054 in 2007) and are more likely to live in poverty (8% of Hawai'I women compared to 7% of men in 2007) and almost half of all single women with children in Hawai'i live in poverty; and

Whereas, The high cost of housing in Hawai`i places a burden on the budget of many families making it less likely for families to have the opportunity to purchase and maintain a home, a major asset; 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, including deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes, tax deferred retirement and education savings, lower taxes on long-term capital gains, etc. but individuals with lower income do not qualify for those policies; and

Whereas, The Hawai`i State Asset Building Task Force established by the Hawai`i State Legislature developed policy recommendations for universal children's savings, the elimination of asset limit tests in public benefits programs, and financial education for Hawai`i residents in a final report submitted to the Legislature in January 2010; and

Whereas, Asset building programs, projects, and strategies are already occurring throughout our state helping children and families build assets, including the Kid's Savings Project developed by Dr. Michael Cheang of the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and the Family and Individual Self-Sufficiency Program; and

Whereas, The Hawai`i Asset Building Network is currently underway to grow and build a strong asset building movement within communities on every island and at the local, state, and federal levels of government; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O`ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai`i 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 certified copies of this resolution be transmitted to all Democratic members of the Hawai`i State Legislature and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawai'i stated in its Platform of 2008: "The abiding values of the Democratic Party are liberty, social justice, compassion and respect for the dignity and worth of the individual. These principles must always be protected"; and

Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawai'i stated in its Platform of 2008: "The Democratic Party of Hawai'i holds that our party and our government shall strive for the following ideas and values", including but not limited to, "protect and restore the civil and human rights of each person;" and

Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawai'i state in the "Civil Rights, Equal Rights" plank of its Platform of 2008: "We believe all human beings should have the right to be treated equally. We oppose any law that deprives anyone of equal treatment; 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 8 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 which 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 the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i is committed to work with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Caucus to achieve our mutual and laudable goals of justice freedom and equality for all; 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 State of Hawai'i has long tradition and practice of protecting the civil rights of its people based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability and other legally protected characteristics; and

Whereas, The State of Hawai'i believes these core civil rights are universal in application and address the essence of our humanity; and

Whereas, Hawai'i has a long and rich history of advancing and protecting civil rights, promoting essential human values; and

Whereas, The United States Constitution and the Hawai'i's State Constitution prohibit the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; and

Whereas, The State of Hawai'i is the most religiously diverse state in the United States of America; and

Whereas, The 2000 Census shows that nearly seventy percent (70%) of Hawai'i's residents are not affiliated with Christian religion; and the vast majority of Hawaii residents (approximately 52% or 630,000), are atheist, agnostic, secular humanist or religiously indifferent; and

Whereas, The International Transformation Network (ITN) has endorsed the work of church-based, government-backed death squads in Latin America and Africa; and

Whereas, ITN played a significant role organizing and inspiring Ugandan legislators who have drafted, the internationally denounced Anti Homosexuality Bill calling for life imprisonment of LGBT citizens, the execution of many HIV-positive Ugandans and imposing a minimum three-year prison sentence on citizens who fail to report to the police anyone suspected of being gay; and

Whereas, Hawai'i He'e Nalu (HHN), formally known as Transformation Hawai'i, is a chartered member of the global (ITN); and attempts to "establish" particular religious beliefs in direct contradiction to the establishment clause of Hawai'i's State Constitution; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i denounces the efforts by the (ITN) and (HHN) to "transform" the religious affiliation of nearly 70% of Hawai'i's residents; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i recognizes that membership in (HHN) is evidence of working actively against several planks of the platform of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i denounces the efforts by the International Transformation Network (ITN) and Hawai'i He'e Nalu (HHN) to transform Hawai'i into the first state that belongs to Jesus; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i that it denounces the efforts by (ITN) and (HHN) to establish Christianity as a state-sponsored religion in direct violation of Section 4 of the Hawai'i's State Constitution; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, the State's Democratic Party Platform states, "Recognizing that education is a key component to our islands' 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; and

Whereas, public schools serve as a safety net in identifying among other things, child abuse, malnutrition, learning disorders, mental illness; and

Whereas, the lack of support staff who perform essential duties that would otherwise fall on the teacher would deplete instructional time for the students; and

Whereas, government funds public education because an educated electorate is essential to a thriving democracy; 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 fully fund - without pay cuts- all public schools to ensure the well-being of all children in the public school system; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the Governor of the State of Hawaii, all members of the Hawaii State legislature, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The separation of church and state is one of America's unique gifts to civilization and the chief guarantor of our religious liberty; and

Whereas, Tax dollars paid by the LGBT community may then subsidize efforts of these sectarian institutions to attack the civil and constitutional rights of the LGBT community; and

Whereas, In San Francisco the Salvation Army cut off all services provided through City grants when the Board of Supervisors passed sweeping nondiscrimination policies; and

Whereas, In Boston the Roman Catholic Church cut off all adoption services so Catholic Social Service Agencies would not be forced to place children into homes of gay and lesbian couples; and

Whereas, The Roman Catholic Church cut off services provided by Catholic Charities when Washington, D. C. extended marriage rights to same gender couples; and

Whereas, The Hawaii Family Forum, the lobbying branch of the Hawaii Catholic Conference, spent over $75,000 on lobbying, advertising and advocating against civil unions (HB444); now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party Democratic Party of Hawai'i that it opposes all attempts to weaken the constitutional rights guaranteed by the Hawai'i and United States Constitutions for the separation of church and state; and be it further

Resolved, That we request that direct funding of sectarian organizations by any government agency will assure that the funded institutions will abide by all provisions of the Hawaii State and United States Constitutions and the federal Civil Rights Act; and be it further; and be it further

Resolved, That we oppose direct funding of sectarian organizations by any government agency without strong guarantees that these institutions will abide by all provisions of the Hawai'i State and United States Constitutions and the federal Civil Rights Act; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the Governor of the State of Hawai'i, all members of the Hawai'i State legislature, the Mayors of all the counties in the state of Hawai'i, the county councils in the State of Hawai'i, the members of the Hawai'i State Board of Education, the President of the University of Hawai'i, the members of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai'i, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

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 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 has a profound respect for the individual and recognizes 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 and believes that individuals and best nurtured within families of caring people, and therefore supports those policies, services, and institutions that strengthen families; and

Whereas, The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Trans-gendered Caucus was unanimously recognized as an official caucus of the Party by the State Central Committee at its January 12, 2002 meeting and has honorably served with dedication and commitment to the values of the Party; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i opposes any "defense of marriage" legislation or any amendment to the Hawaii and/or United States Constitution which would discriminate against a minority citizenry and is contrary to the Constitutional guarantees of equal protection under the law; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i calls for the repeal by Congress of the federal Defense of Marriage Act which discriminates against a minority citizenry and is contrary to the Constitutional guarantees of equal protection under the law; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of the resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii, all members of the Hawai'i State legislature, the President of the United States, all four members of the Hawai'i Congressional delegation, the Governor of the State of Hawaii, all members of the Hawai'i State legislature, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, On January 29, 2010, the Hawai'i State House of Representatives took a voice vote to defer indefinitely the civil unions bill (HB444); and

Whereas, Representatives present at the session on January 29, 2010, failed to call for a roll call vote; and calls from the gallery on January 29, 2010, for a roll call vote were ignored; and

Whereas, Those in attendance on January 29, 2010, did not hear 26 ayes cast in favor of deferring the bill; and

Whereas, An investigative reporter individually polled the House of Representatives and could not identify twenty-six (26) Representatives that cast aye votes in favor of deferring the bill; and

Whereas, On February 19, 2010, there was a controversy surrounding a motion to recall HB2311, where a video session of the vote differed with the count taken by the House Clerk's office; and

Whereas, On April 27, 2010, there was a controversy when a Representative called for a division of the House for SB2359; and

Whereas, The House does not tape its sessions, hence there was no video record of the process; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party hereby urges the legislature to pass legislation requiring a roll call vote for all votes affecting the status of legislation and requests the Hawai'i State Legislature take the necessary steps to webcast all legislative proceedings in audio and video formats; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of the resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, the members of the Hawai'i Congressional delegation and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, It is important that all districts in Hawai'i be represented by individuals who live in those districts; and

Whereas, The current law defines eligibility to hold office based on residence rather than domicile; and

Whereas, A person can have more than one residence but only one domicile; and

Whereas, Under current law a person can live in one district declare residency in another, which undermines the purpose of the law to have all districts in Hawai'i be represented by individuals who live in those districts; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the principle that elected representatives shall reside and vote in the district which they represent; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urge the Hawai'i State legislature to amend the state law to clarify that "residence" as defined for election purposes means a domicile; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i also requests that the legislature amend state law to eliminate "intent to return" as a defense for not living in a district; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of the resolution be transmitted to all members of the Hawai'i State legislature, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The integrity of our democracy depends on elections free of undue influence from special interest groups; and

Whereas, The federal government has, since 1907, prohibited corporations from making direct campaign contributions to candidates, and 22 other states have also established such prohibitions; and

Whereas, The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that a corporation is a person and cannot be limited in its contributions; and

Whereas, Citizen groups believe that an overwhelming influence of money in election campaigns has tarnished our democracy and pushed citizens aside in the political process; and

Whereas, Corporate officers and employees can still contribute to candidates of their choice as individuals or through political action committees; and

Whereas, A ban on direct corporate campaign contributions will provide individual citizens, small businesses and other disenfranchised groups, an equal voice in the lawmaking process; and

Whereas, A direct corporate campaign contribution ban will also increase trust in government and promote greater citizen participation; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i support the passage of legislation to ban direct corporate campaign contributions to candidates in state and county elections; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be given to all candidates for office identifying as Democrats, and the appropriate State pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawai'i is the vehicle by which we communicate the Principles, Platform, and Resolutions which define our Party and form the framework for our actions; and

Whereas, Effective, timely communications to and from the Party's grassroots membership are an essential aspect of a strong, effective Party; and

Whereas, Communications must be routinely conducted in creative multi-media formats in order to nurture and grow our Party's membership and advance our agenda; and

Whereas, The Chair of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i is frequently called upon to write and appear on camera to publicly articulate the Party's positions and perspectives; and

Whereas, The Chair of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i has many pressing responsibilities which require much time and preparation; and

Whereas, an active, efficient Communications Committee operating with an experienced professional Communications Coordinator would greatly assist the Chair's efforts both to communicate the Party's message and raise routine operating monies; and

Whereas, A Communications Committee is already a bona fide Standing Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i under Article 5, Section 12 of the General Laws of the Party; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the State Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i is hereby requested to activate and empower the existing volunteer Communications Committee by first soliciting experienced volunteers from the Party rolls to be on the Committee; and be it further

Resolved, That the volunteer Communications Committee will be charged with identifying and recommending to the State Central Committee, an experienced professional Communications Coordinator be retained; and be it further

Resolved, That the professional Communications Coordinator shall be willing to take the position on the basis that she or he must raise the money to fund the position; and be it further

Resolved, That this Resolution be transmitted to the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i has a diverse membership; and

Whereas, The City and County of Honolulu has a great array of parades; and

Whereas, Parades are a great and unique way to show public support for our diverse membership; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i will make every attempt to attend as many diverse parades as the City and County of Honolulu's schedule will allow, as long as these parades do not conflict with the O'ahu County or State of Hawai'i's Democratic Party Platform; and be it further

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

Whereas, every American deserves access to affordable quality health care; but competition among private health insurance plans has made health care neither more affordable nor more accessible; and

Whereas, Pressure to hold down health care costs and maximize profits has led to strong financial incentives for private health plans to use underwriting strategies to avoid or limit covering the sick; and

Whereas, For physicians and other health care providers such as hospitals, competition among private health insurance plans has resulted in reduced fees, increased managed care paperwork and bureaucratic requirements, increased administrative costs, and increased obstacles to payment of claims and the private practice of medicine is now being threatened by the increasing power of health plans to set fees and force physicians to accept onerous and unfunded managed care policies; and

Whereas, Comparisons with other countries' health care systems and economic analyses have repeatedly shown that a single-payer health care financing system with universal coverage of all residents would cost less and provider better overall care than any proposal involving competing private health insurance plans; and

Whereas, A single payer system would eliminate cost-shifting, disputes over who is responsible for paying for care and the ties between employment and healthcare coverage and lower health care costs related to litigation from workers' compensation and automobile insurance; now therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges Congress to enact legislation to establish a single-payer health care financing system for the United States; and be it further

Resolved, That Congress and the Federal Executive Branch are urged to create a National Health Board, held accountable to act on behalf of the public good, insulated from special interest influences with expertise in health economics and representation from the actual stakeholders in health care: the providers of health care including physicians, hospitals, and other providers of care; and the public who are or will be recipients of health care; and be it further

Resolved, That this National Health Board shall be granted authority over establishment of a provider fee structure; allocation of government funding for health care education and training, medical research, and public health programs; scope of practice issues; and quality improvement programs; and be it further

Resolved, That the National Health Board have substantial authority over the public financing of the single-payer health care system, including health care taxes, to ensure that the funding of the system continues to reflect the realistic costs of providing quality health care, to ensure that public health care funds are spent in a cost-effective manner, and to ensure maintenance of quality health care for the residents of The United States of America in perpetuity; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to members of Hawai'i's Congressional Delegation, the Obama Administration, the United States Department of Justice and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO), in its Environmental Health Criteria 12: Noise, recommended general daytime outdoor noise levels of fifty-five decibels or less; and

Whereas, (WHO), in 1980, in its Environmental Health Criteria 12: Noise, also recommended forty-five decibels to meet sleep criteria and, according to the WHO, noise can impair sleep even when the sleeper is not awakened; and

Whereas, Our densely populated neighborhoods include senior citizens, infants and shift workers who sleep during the daytime hours; and

Whereas, Noise in densely populated areas comes from landscaping machines including leaf blowers, as well as from mopeds, motorcycles and vehicles without proper mufflers and/or equipped with very loud stereo speakers; and

Whereas, Issues of health are impacted due to the high rates of CO2 from all of these machines and modes of transportation; and

Whereas, Additional problems with repetitious noise on all days, including state and federal holidays and week days including the early morning hours, throughout the day and including the dinner hours, have impacted citizens' physical, emotional and mental health; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party supports noise and pollution control, including the efforts of the Noise Pollution Task Force established under Senate Concurrent Resolution 183, convening a Legislative Noise Pollution Task Force to review best practices from other states in reducing urban noise pollution; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, the Council of the City and County of Honolulu, and the Honolulu Police Department.

Whereas, The State of Hawai'i has a long tradition and practice of protecting the civil rights of its people based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability and other legally protected characteristics; and

Whereas, The State of Hawai'i believes these core civil rights are universal in application and address the essence of our humanity; and

Whereas, The State of Hawai'i is the most religiously diverse state in the United States of America; and

Whereas, Uganda proposes to enact legislation criminalizing homosexuality, and to imprison and execute persons based solely upon their sexual orientation; and

Whereas, Criminalizing an individual's sexual orientation is reminiscent of World War II Germany's program against homosexuals, Serbia's program against the Muslim community, and South Africa's apartheid policy against its native African citizens; and

Whereas, Nations, states, and citizens throughout the world recognize that criminalizing homosexuals and homosexual relationships is reprehensible and inhumane; and

Whereas, People and nations have not stood idle and must not stand idle while another country attempts to criminalize, imprison and execute its citizens because of sexual orientation; and

Whereas, Hawai'i has a long and rich history of advancing and protecting civil rights, promoting essential human values, and addressing international wrongs that criminalize immutable characteristics, including resolutions condemning apartheid; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i denounces Uganda's efforts to criminalize homosexuality; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i calls upon the Governor to send a letter of protest to the Uganda legislature requesting that it not enact discriminatory legislation which is contrary to the public policies and practices of civilized governments; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i calls upon the Governor, the State legislature and Hawai'i's Congressional Delegation to send a letter requesting President Barack Obama to issue a letter of protest to the Uganda Legislature denouncing any attempt to enact or codify discriminatory legislation seeking to criminalize homosexuality; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, and the United States Secretary of State.

Whereas, Since 1978, primary elections in Hawai`i have been open to participation by any voter; and

Whereas, It has become increasingly apparent in recent years across the United States that persons who are not Democrats have been voting in Democratic Party primaries for the purpose of selecting the weakest Democratic candidate, and for other inappropriate purposes including, most notably as urged by Rush Limbaugh, no friend of the Democratic Party, in his "Operation Chaos" to interfere with Democratic Party primary voting in 2008; and

Whereas, Voting in Democratic Party primaries by persons who are not Democrats increasingly threatens the integrity of the Democratic Party's processes for the selection of candidates for public office; and

Whereas, The United States Supreme Court held in California Democratic Party v. Jones, 530 U.S. 567 (2000), that a political party has the right, pursuant to its constitutionally protected rights of freedom of association, to limit voting in its primaries to party members, and that state governments must comply with the wishes of a political party to impose such limitations on voting, without the necessity of statutory changes, the Court noting that "A single election in which the party nominee is selected by nonparty members could be enough to destroy the party"; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the 2010 O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party requests the Democratic Party of Hawai`i to take all action necessary and proper to limit participation in all Democratic Party primaries within the State of Hawai`i to persons who are bona fide members of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i, and to cause the Hawai`i State Government to institute such limitations in all future primaries as soon as possible; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawai'i, all members of the Hawai'i State Legislature the Hawai'i State Office of Elections, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee

Whereas, Hawai`i state law currently provides that, in special elections to fill vacancies in Hawai`i's Congressional delegation, a single election takes place without either a party primary or a run-off election; and

Whereas, Such an arrangement poses serious dangers that persons will be elected to fill such vacancies without having the mandate of a majority of the voters; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the 2010 O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party requests the Democratic Party of Hawai`i take all action necessary and proper to cause the Hawai`i State Legislature to revise the statutory provisions for special Congressional elections to provide for primary elections and/or run-off elections, and to institute such changes in all future special elections as soon as possible; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to Governor of the State of Hawai'i, all members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, the Hawaii State Office of Elections,l and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee

Whereas, During the Administration of George W. Bush, the United States Government amassed actual deficits and obligations for future deficits in the sums of at least two trillion dollars for unnecessary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for bailouts of Wall Street banks; and

Whereas, "Deficit hawks" are now suddenly clamoring for tightening of the federal budget, by focusing largely on reducing Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance benefits while largely ignoring the costs of war and Wall Street bailouts as proper subjects of deficit reduction, and the Obama Administration has established a commission that appears likely to recommend cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance benefits whilefailing to recommend tax increases on the rich, or reductions in military spending and Wall Street bailouts; and

Whereas, Social Security is in fact not facing unreasonable risks of bankruptcy and Social Security has become the primary or sole source of retirement income for millions of Americans whose retirement savings have been lost in corporate failures and Wall Street predations; and

Whereas, An expansion of Medicare to age groups below age 65 would simultaneously reduce deficits and provide a much-needed "public option" for persons lacking adequate health insurance; and

Whereas, Unemployment insurance has become ever more important for the tens of millions of Americans who have lost work in the present economic downturn, which benefits are necessary to the economic survival of the unemployed, and the payment of such benefits is a stimulus to the economy; now, therefore be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party expresses the sentiment of this Convention to all members of the Hawai`i Congressional delegation and urges them to take all action necessary and proper to protect Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance from reduction; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the members of the Hawai'i Congressional delegation, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, World oil production is nearing its point of maximum production (Peak Oil) and will enter a prolonged period of irreversible decline leading to ever-increasing prices; and

Whereas, The United States has only two percent of the world's oil reserves, produces eight percent of the world's oil, and consumes 25 percent of the world's oil, of which nearly 60 percent is imported from foreign countries; and

Whereas, The decline in global oil production threatens to increase resource competition and geopolitical instability, and lead to greater impoverishment and global economic crisis; and

Whereas, National oil companies own 72 percent of remaining oil reserves and 55 percent of remaining gas reserves, and resource nationalism is increasingly dominating decisions of oil and gas development and trade relationships; and

Whereas, The availability of affordable petroleum is critical to the functioning of our transportation system, the production of our food and of petrochemical-based consumer goods, the paving of roads, the lubrication of all machinery, and myriad other parts of the economy; and

Whereas, Hawai'i is entirely dependent on external supplies of petroleum, including the crude oil processed in refineries within the state; and

Whereas, Price signals of petroleum scarcity are likely to come too late to trigger effective mitigation efforts in the private sector, and governmental intervention at all levels of government will be required to avert social and economic chaos; and

Whereas, The Department of Energy-sponsored study on mitigation of Peak Oil demonstrated that a 20-year lead time is required for effective mitigation, while current measures supported by the federal government will replace only three weeks' worth of gasoline consumption by 2012; and

Whereas, Alternative sources of transport fuels from coal and natural gas require high energy inputs and increase total carbon emissions; and biomass-based fuels compete with soil fertility, impacting agricultural sustainability; and

Whereas, Substitution of petroleum with other fossil fuels threatens even greater damage to water, air, soil, and species diversity through their extraction and combustion; and

Whereas, Hawai'i has demonstrated leadership in confronting challenges of environmental quality and energy security, promoting environmental and economic equity, and has a rich diversity of citizens committed to maintaining the state's long-term viability; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i acknowledges the unprecedented challenges of Peak Oil; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii supports development and implementation of environmentally sound alternatives to fossil fuel based energy as a high priority; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee supports the adoption of a global oil depletion protocol to provide transparency in oil markets, control price swings, address issues of equity in access to remaining oil resources, and provide a framework of predictability within which governments can adjust to increasing oil scarcity; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee supports the undertaking of a statewide assessment study in order to inventory state activities and their corollary resource requirements, evaluating the impact in each area to a decline in petroleum availability and to higher prices, with the aim of developing a comprehensive state plan of action and response to Peak Oil; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii, all members of Hawai'i's Legislature, the members of Hawai'i's Congressional delegation, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The outcome of the federal debate on reducing greenhouse gas emissions will affect Hawai'i residents; and

Whereas, A straightforward federal carbon tax is projected by many economists to be more efficient than unwieldy emissions trading, and more effective at motivating U.S. investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, thereby creating jobs and stimulating the economy; and

Whereas, A fixed tax rate for each year would be increased according to the goal for reduction in usage of fossil fuels without the price volatility of permit trading; and

Whereas, Annual goals for emissions reduction would be scheduled for decades in advance following the advice of climate scientists; and

Whereas, A federal carbon tax levied upstream (at the point of first sale after extraction or import of fossil fuels) would minimize the number of entities directly taxed and the expense of monitoring compliance; and

Whereas, A major portion of the tax proceeds would be returned, for example, as equal dividends to every citizen or through reductions in payroll taxes combined with an expansion of the earned income tax credit; and

Whereas, Part of the tax proceeds would be used to fund U.S. energy conservation and renewable energy production, creating jobs in 50 state economies; and

Whereas, The competitive position of the U.S. would be maintained by imposing an import tariff on products imported from countries without a similar carbon tax; and

Whereas, A carbon tax would be a more widely accepted protocol than emissions trading because each country's revenue would remain in that country with minimal impact on national sovereignty; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges its Congressional delegation to enact federal carbon tax legislation which addresses the issues articulated above; and be it further

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

Whereas, There are private contractors and service providers receiving Federal, State and County financial assistance and support in the form of grants, contracts, loans, and bond financing and

Whereas, Tax abatements and other development subsidies need to be leveraged for the public good, and the wages paid by state and country contractors should follow the federal service contract wages which track wages in the area; and

Whereas, When subsidized employers are allowed to pay their workers less than a "Living Wage" , taxpayers end up footing a double bill in emergency medical, food stamps, housing and other services that low wage workers may need to support themselves and their families even minimally; now therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party supports the idea that public contracts be reserved for those employers who demonstrate a commitment to providing family-supporting jobs and a "Living Wage; ; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party supports passage of a state service contract legislation; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of the resolution be transmitted to all members of the Hawai'i State legislature, the members of Hawai'i's Congressional delegation, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawai'i desires to create a community that generates opportunities for Hawai'i's working families in jobs, quality of life, and environment; and

Whereas, Hawai'i's economy and job growth are being adversely affected by the continuing slowdown in the national economy and the closing of ATA and Aloha Airlines; and

Whereas, Oil prices have risen dramatically in a year, forcing households in Hawai'i to spend more on transportation costs than on food and healthcare combined and impacting the ability of workers to maintain their quality of life; and

Whereas, Traffic congestion has negatively impacted mobility, making it expensive and difficult for workers to live and work in Honolulu with future conditions expected to be much worse without significant transportation improvements; and

Whereas, Voters in Honolulu have expressed their support via ballot for steel wheel on steel rail; and

Whereas, Modern steel rail technology has proved to be an effective, reliable, and efficient way to implement a high capacity fixed guide way system in cities such as Washington, D.C., Denver, Salt Lake City, and Vancouver; and

Whereas, Other transportation alternatives such as HOT lanes, bus ways, tunnels, and bridges have all been studied and found to be less effective, more costly, and less environmentally friendly; and

Whereas, The Honolulu High Capacity Transit Project (HHCTP) will create an anticipated 4,700 construction jobs and 11300 other jobs during its construction of a modern steel rail fixed guide way system; and

Whereas, Like Dallas, Portland, and St. Louis, who have experienced billions of dollars in investment in its communities near their rail projects, thereby boosting the economy and creating new jobs and opportunities at all levels, Honolulu is expected to experience investment benefits near its rail corridor; and

Whereas, We need to protect Hawai'i extraordinary natural resources, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create a cleaner and greener Hawai'i; and

Whereas, HHCTP will facilitate transit oriented development (TOD), which improves quality of life, reduces urban sprawl, and fosters sustainable lifestyles through the creation of economically vital communities where families can live, work, and play and enabling them to utilize transit, bicycle, and pedestrian modes as an alternative to the automobile; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O`ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai`i urges the City and County of Honolulu to make Honolulu the best place in the nation to live, work, and raise families; create jobs for local labor, and reduce its carbon footprint by planning, building, and operating an effective, efficient, reliable, and environmentally sound modern steel rail rapid transit system, and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, the Council of the City and County of Honolulu, the Governor of the State of Hawaii, all members of the Hawai'i State legislature, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, Current measures have been totally ineffective at keeping this substance out of the hands of minors, but have fostered violence and profited criminals in addition to giving criminal records to millions of otherwise law-abiding citizens nationally for merely using the substance; and Whereas, Drug dealers do not ask children if they're over 18 or 21; and

Whereas, Current drug laws have not taken into consideration the law of supply and demand; and

Whereas, The enormous amount of resources currently spent trying to control marijuana, a relatively benign substance that is considered to be less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes, could be better spent on education to reduce demand for all drugs and to treat those who have addictions; and

Whereas, In 2008, a Hawai'i judge acknowledged that: "Marijuana is fully entrenched in our island way of life" as he sentenced a man with no prior criminal to 20 years in prison; and

Whereas, This man could have better served the community by paying taxes on his product rather than costing taxpayers for his imprisonment; and

Whereas, There is a large amount of unused Agricultural Land that could be put to use as a new cash crop for Hawaii 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 Hawai'i; 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 help balance the budget; and

Whereas, An effective distribution could be set in place using policies similar to alcohol and/or tobacco sales requiring positive age verification and requiring stiff sentences for any non-family member supplying minors with access to the substance; now therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the legislature of the State of Hawai'i, to provide national leadership on this issue by enacting legislation to legalize marijuana in the State of Hawai'i for use by adults over the age of 21, and be it further

Resolved, That all judicial sentences regarding marijuana be reviewed with the intent of reducing and eliminating sentences and preparing inmates for speedy re-entry, and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges procedures be put in place by the legislature of the State of Hawai'i to regulate and tax the legal production distribution and use of marijuana; and, be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, all Democratic candidates for the Hawai'i State Legislature, members of Hawai'i's Congressional delegation, and the appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, Tourism remains one of the top industries in Hawai'i; and

Whereas, An article in the Hotel Business Review indicates that "gays and lesbians have not stopped traveling and is so resilient that neither terrorism nor financial crises can stop them from traveling"; and

Whereas, The annual economic impact of GLBT consumers as identified by Here Media in 2009 was approximately $800 billion worldwide; and

Whereas, 84.8% of gay male and 83.6% of lesbian consumers traveled in 2007 (spent $500 or more) according to CMI; and

Whereas, The Hawai'i Tourism Authority has no marketing efforts targeting the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (GLBT) population; 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, No major GLBT travel website lists Hawaii as a travel destination; and

Whereas, The Pacific Business News recently pointed out that the number of Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (GLBT) tourists to our state is declining; 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 of the City and County of Honolulu, the members of the Council 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, There are a substantial number of couples in Hawai'i who live within the context of a committed family situation but who also live without the benefit of an ironclad, state-provided civil and contractual relationship which is above legal reproach; and

Whereas, The Hawai'i Supreme Court has mandated that the state must provide the vehicle for a civil and contractual relationship to be available to every citizen of the state of legal age, enabling all of Hawai'i's citizens to equally share in the benefits and protections that such arrangements provide; and

Whereas, The State Senate passed civil unions legislation (HB444 SD1) in 2010 with eighteen (18) out of twenty-five (25) votes; and

Whereas. The State House of Representatives passed civil unions legislation (HB444 SD1) in 2010 with thirty-one (31) out of fifty-one (51) votes; and

Whereas, The State Central Committee has urged the passage of civil unions legislation repeatedly over the last two years; now, therefore, be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the institution of civil unions for two people of legal age as a reasonable step towards full marriage equality for those who wish to enter into such a civil and contractual relationship; and be it further

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i urges the Governor of the State of Hawai'i to sign HB 444 SD 1 into law or allow it to become to law without her signature; and be it further

Resolved, That, should the Governor veto HB 444 SD 1 the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i requests that all Legislators override her veto; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to all members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, the State Democratic Central Committee, the Governor of the State of Hawai'i and all appropriate state pre-convention resolutions committee.

Whereas, HIV/AIDS is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases in human history; 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 have led to unwise cuts in funding for HIV programs; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O'ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i call upon our Hawai'i legislators to work to restore and increase funding for all HIV related programs and by providing affordable AIDS drugs to everyone who needs them, e.g,, through the Hawaii Drugs Assistant Program, assistance for housing, dental programs, food, needle exchange, mental health counseling; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature 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, National associations of psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists and social workers agree that homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender 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 only to serve their country's security needs; and

Whereas, The current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy has been used to sexually exploit members of the military; and

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

Whereas, Other national security agencies and allied foreign militaries allow homosexual, bisexual, and transgendered people to serve openly; and our military personnel have served alongside these agencies and militaries in Iraq, Afghanistan and ongoing training missions through NATO and CINCPAC;

Whereas, More than 80 % of Americans and 73% of military personnel agree that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly; and

Whereas, President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense William Gates have both called for an end to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"; and

Whereas, The Department of Defense is currently studying the impact of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell;" and

Whereas, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John Shalikashvili, USA (Ret.), is among the more than 100 retired admirals and generals who support the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the O‘ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i oppose 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 O‘ahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i supports the immediate repeal of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy to best support our troops and our loved ones; 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.