Resolutions Adopted

Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi supports banning conversion therapy for minors and adults as stated in the Health Care plank of our Party's Platform passed by unanimous vote at our 2014 State Convention; and

Whereas, President Barack Obama, along with every recognized medical professional organization from the World Psychiatric Association American Psychological Association, American Counseling Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American School Counselor Association, to the National Association of Social Workers have all come out against conversion therapy as a form of torture; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats support the banning of conversion therapy based on the overwhelming scientific fact there is no way to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, no matter what kind of adverse therapy a person is put through including but not limited to: inducing nausea, vomiting, or paralysis while showing the patient homoerotic images; providing electric shocks; having the individual snap an elastic band around the wrist when aroused by same-sex erotic images or thoughts; using shame to create aversion to same-sex attractions; orgasmic reconditioning; hypnosis; behavior and cognitive therapies; sex therapies; psychotropic medication; and satiation therapy; and be it further

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats support the banning of conversion therapy also based on the fact that this barbaric practice is detrimental to society as a whole since as it is totally futile and the side effects on the survivors are depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, shame, social withdrawal, suicidality, substance abuse, stress, disappointment, self-blame, decreased self-esteem and authenticity to others, hostility and blame toward parents, increased self-hatred, feelings of anger and betrayal, loss of friends and potential romantic partners, problems in sexual and emotional intimacy, sexual dysfunction, high-risk sexual behaviors, a feeling of being dehumanized and untrue to self, a loss of faith, and a sense of having wasted time and resources; and be it further

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats call upon all Oʻahu County Democrats that are a members of the Hawai'i State Legislature who are members of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i to support the introduction and passage of a bill in the 2017 Legislative Session that will ban conversion therapy outright; and be it further

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats call upon the Governor of the State of Hawai'i to support the legislation and once it is passed by the legislature to sign the bill that will ban conversion therapy outright into law; and be it further

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats call upon all members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation to introduce and support the passage of bill that would ban conversion therapy at the national level; and be it Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to all members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation, the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, all Oʻahu County Democrats that are members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature who are members of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, and the appropriate members of the Resolutions Committee for the 2016 State Convention for the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, Hawaiʻi citizens need the protection of free access to litigation of their sexual predators regardless of age or gender; and

Whereas, The State statute limits the time frame for a victims/survivors to file charges against sexual predators; and

Whereas, Sexual assault causes life-long damage to the mental, physical, emotional, and financial well-being of victims/survivors and their families; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the State of Hawaiʻi to end the statute of limitations for sexual assaults; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, Democratic members of the Hawai'i State Legislature, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents has adopted Policy RP 9.205 on Political Activity, which requires all employees who, on their own time, campaign for a public office, to take a leave of absence without pay; and

Whereas, The policy states in part: "All employees under the jurisdiction of the board seeking a public elective office shall, without exception: a. Request, or in absence of such request, to be placed on a leave of absence without pay in accordance with university policy upon actively seeking political office, but in no event later than the filing of nomination papers or the announcement of candidacy for such office;" and

Whereas, This policy is applied not only to candidates for major political offices such as the legislature or city or county council, but also OHA, and neighborhood boards; and

Whereas, The rationale for this policy is that participation in our electoral democratic life creates a conflict of interest, an embarrassment to the university, and an appearance of impropriety; and

Whereas, This is an inappropriate form of censorship and an attempt to discourage participation in democracy that results in a de facto prohibition in that candidates must lose all of their income for several months, even if they subsequently lose an election; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents to repeal Policy RP 9.205 on Political Activity; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to University of Hawaiʻii Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate, the public sector unions, all neighborhood boards, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, The UH Mānoa ombuds office does not replace or undercut the efforts of existing administrators, but rather complements their efforts; and

Whereas, Busy UH officials cannot possibly devote enough time to the typical functions of an Ombudsman; and

Whereas, Such an office would address important issues including but not limited to:

1. Communicating the views and voices of students, faculty, and staff to decision makers;
2. Harassment or discrimination;
3. Violations of University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa policy;
4. Professional and organizational disputes;
5. Ethical dilemmas;
6. Cultural misunderstandings;
7. Conflicts of interest;
8. Student employment issues and disputes;
9. Assistance to administrators and regents in analyzing and framing difficult issues;
10. Disputes between the university and the community at large;
11. Health and safety concerns;
12. Availability and transparency of public information regarding university policies, finances, decisions, and programs;
13. Academic freedom; and
14. Threats or retaliation; and

Whereas, The absence of an independent and objective ombuds has exacerbated the trauma, drama, and rift between state decision makers and the university, leading to ongoing frustrations, criticisms, and standoffs regarding funding; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents to reestablish an independent ombuds office; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate, University student government organizations, the public sector unions, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, The National Center for Educational Statistics reported in 2015 that 45 states require arts instruction at the elementary level, 45 states require arts instruction at the middle school level, 44 states require arts instruction at the high school level, and 26 states require course credits in the arts for graduation; and

Whereas, Arts education is not required at any level in Hawai'i; and

Whereas, Our State Department of Education has reported a dramatic increase in the number and percentage of students in recent years who have "disadvantages," meaning they are English Learners, Special Education students, and coming from families that qualify them for free or reduced lunch; and

Whereas, Research suggests that arts education has a positive impact on school success for disadvantaged children; and

Whereas, Currently, there appears to be no overt strategy by either the State Board of Education or the Hawai'i Department of Education to increase arts education in Hawaiʻi public schools; and

Whereas, Arts education prepares students to engage meaningfully in their communities, strengthens perseverance, and develops students' capacity to persist in the face of a challenge; and

Whereas, Through arts study, students improve their abilities to turn barriers into opportunities, overcome difficulty in completing complex tasks, and sustain attention; and

Whereas, In a longitudinal study of 25,000 secondary school students, those with higher involvement in the arts scored better on measures of persistence than their peers with lower arts involvement; and

Whereas, In a major legislative proposal covering a wide range of reforms, the Hawai'i State Teachers Association has included a requirement for "whole child education," which is defined as "instruction in visual arts, music, theater, dance, Hawaiian and Polynesian studies, Hawaiian language, native Hawaiian culture, native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices, and physical education;" now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That Oʻahu Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the State Board of Education and the Department of Education to begin the process of requiring arts education and instruction at all levels of the K-12 system and incorporate this into their financial planning; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Education, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, According to Gallup, 5.1% of adults in Hawaiʻi self-identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT), which is the highest percentage of any U.S. state, second only to Washington D.C.; and

Whereas, There are over eighty full-time trial and appellate court judges in the Hawai'i State court system, very few of whom identify as LGBT; and

Whereas, The LGBT community appears to be underrepresented on the Hawaiʻi bench; and

Whereas, Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi support full equality for the LGBT community; and

Whereas, Oʻahu County Democrats recognize the importance of having a judicial system that fairly represents the diversity of Hawaiʻi's people; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats urge the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, members of the Hawaiʻi Senate, and the Judicial Selection Commission to nominate and appoint qualified attorneys that openly identify as LGBT to fill judicial vacancies; and be it further

Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats urge the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Speaker of the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives, the President of the Hawaiʻi Senate, and the Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court to consider the need for greater LGBT representation on the bench when appointing members of the Judicial Selection Commission; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Lieutenant Governor of the State Hawaiʻi, the Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court, Democratic members of the Legislature, the Judicial Selection Commission, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, Hawai'i has long affirmed the rights of individuals to make informed decisions regarding their health care at the end of life; and

Whereas, The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi has, through duly-adopted prior platform planks, established a long history of support for and the endorsement of Death with Dignity for terminally ill patients at the end of life; now therefore, be it

Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the Legislature to take all measures to affirm the right of dying patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare, ensure that Hawai'i residents are provided with a full range of end of life options, including a decision to advance the time of death, and provide safeguards to ensure patients are in control if they choose Death with Dignity; and be it

Whereas, Many university and college graduates that work under state contract through private employers are not able to utilize avenues of student loan reduction; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge expansion or creation of programs that focus on student loan reduction for public employees and employees working for private employers under state contracts for public services; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Democratic Members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, Educational funding is in desperate need of an influx of funding in order to teach the next generation of Hawaiian leaders; and

Whereas, Cannabis already has an extensive supply and delivery infrastructure in Hawaiʻi that as of now pays no tax and operates in the shadows; and

Whereas, The legal cannabis industry is projected to be worth $20 billion nationally by the year 2020, and the longer we wait the smaller the market share Hawaiʻi will receive; and

Whereas, Resolution OC 2013-02, the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urges legalization of cannabis for personal use; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the taxation of legalized cannabis for means of expanding funding for the educational system; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the members of the Hawaiʻi Congressional delegation, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, The Oʻahu County Democrats Resolution OC 2013-03 urges the State Democratic Party and Democratic legislators to work together to secure passage of legislation to raise the minimum wage; and

Whereas, The cost of living in the State of Hawaiʻi has increased over the past three years; and

Whereas, Oʻahu County Democrats support the right of all citizens to earn a living wage; now, therefore, be it

Whereas, Out of a population of 1,431,000 persons in the State of Hawai'i, more than 143,000 persons are affected by a rare disease, with more than half of these rare disease being specific to the Pacific region; and

Whereas, While the exact cause for many rare diseases remains unknown, eighty percent of rare diseases are genetic in origin and can be linked to a mutation in a single gene or in multiple genes and these genetic disease may be passed from generation to generation; and

Whereas, It is sound public policy that an advisory body of qualified persons be convened, including persons living with rare diseases, to encourage and fund research in the development of new treatments for rare disease; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats urge the creation of a Task Force to report to the Department of Health and the Legislature biennially on its activities, including findings and recommendations on issues relating to quality, cost effectiveness, and accessibility of treatments and services to persons with rare diseases in the State; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the members of the Hawaiʻi congressional delegation, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Whereas, The O'ahu County Democrats supported passage of Senate Bill 1 in the second Special Session of 2013, which as signed into law on November 13, 2013, brings Marriage Equality to the Aloha State, the birthplace of the modern fight for Marriage Equality; and

Whereas, The Supreme Court of the United States of America brought Marriage Equality to the entire United States of America in their land mark decision Obergefell v. Hodges, handed down on June 26, 2015, which is based on their other landmark Marriage Equality case United States v. Windsor, handed down on June 26, 2013; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats applaud President Barack Obama's decision to declare June 26, 2016 as Equality Day; and be it further

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats request that the Mayor of O'ahu County issue an Proclamation to declare June 26, 2016 as Equality Day in O'ahu County; and be it further

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats support the introduction and passage of a bill at the County of Hawai'i as well as at the State level that would name June 26 as Equality Day in perpetuity; and be it further

Resolved, That the Oʻahu County Democrats call upon the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi to issue a Proclamation to declare June 26, 2016 as Equality Day; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to all members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation, the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, the Lt. Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi, all Oʻahu County Democrats that are members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature who are members of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, the Mayor of the County of Oʻahu, members of the Oʻahu County Council that are members of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i and the Resolutions Committee for the 2016 Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi State Convention.

Whereas, Chapter 183D, Hawai'i Revised Statues, defines predators as "animals destructive of wildlife by nature of their predatory habits, including mongooses, cats, dogs, and rats;" and

Whereas, Current law provides that on any game management area, public hunting area, or forest reserve or other lands under the jurisdiction of the department, the Department of Land and Natural Resources ("DLNR") may destroy predators deemed harmful to other wildlife by any means necessary; and

Whereas, Additional measures are needed to address an overpopulation of predators on public lands and prevent them from causing further harm to endangered, native wildlife; and

Whereas, Legislation has been proposed that would make it unlawful to feed, water or otherwise care for unrestrained predators; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That Oʻahu County Democrats of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi urge the State Legislature to pass legislation requiring a catch and release policy when practical and the extermination of predators that severely impact endangered wildlife as defined by the DLNR when not practical; and be it

Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Democratic members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the members of the Hawai'i Congressional delegation, and the 2016 convention Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.