HR 95: REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE LGBTQ+ COMMISSION AND HAWAII STATE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN TO COLLABORATE AND CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES AND RECOMMEND AMENDMENTS TO INCORPORATE GENDER-NEUTRAL TERMINOLOGY.

HOUSE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE LGBTQ+ COMMISSION AND HAWAII STATE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN TO COLLABORATE AND CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES AND RECOMMEND AMENDMENTS TO INCORPORATE GENDER-NEUTRAL TERMINOLOGY.

     WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is committed to fostering inclusivity, equality, and respect for all individuals, regardless of gender identity or expression; and

     WHEREAS, many existing statutes within the Hawaii Revised Statutes contain binary, gendered language that may not reflect the diverse identities of Hawaii's residents; and

     WHEREAS, the use of gender-neutral language in legislation promotes inclusivity and ensures that all individuals are equally recognized and protected under state law; and

     WHEREAS, in 2013, the Hawaii State Legislature passed marriage equality, ensuring that same-sex couples have the right to marry, and the rest of the Hawaii Revised Statutes should reflect this legal recognition when addressing married couples; and

     WHEREAS, in 2019, the Hawaii State Legislature expanded gender markers from the false narrative of the gender binary that utilizes "F" for female and "M" for male on state identification cards and driver's licenses; and

     WHEREAS, now, forms of state identification also include the marker "X" for those who do not identify within the gender binary; and

     WHEREAS, other jurisdictions have undertaken similar efforts to modernize statutory language to be more inclusive, and Hawaii should also ensure that state laws reflect the values of respect and aloha for all; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women are requested to collaborate and conduct a comprehensive review of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and recommend amendments to incorporate gender-neutral terminology; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women are requested to:

     (1)  Draft recommended legislation to incorporate gender-neutral terminology in the Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (2)  Draft a recommendation for bill review to ensure future legislation incorporates gender-neutral terminology; and

     (3)  Submit a report of their findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation containing the suggested statutory amendments, to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2026; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of the Attorney General is requested to assist the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women in fulfilling these endeavors; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women are requested to engage with civil rights experts that specialize in gender identity and non-binary issues, such as the Lambda Law Student Association, in fulfilling these endeavors; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Chairperson of the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Commission; Chairperson of the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; and Chair of the Lambda Law Student Association at the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law.

Report Title: 

Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Inclusive Language; Gender-Neutral Terminology; Report

HOUSE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE STATE LGBTQ+ COMMISSION AND THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN TO REVIEW THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE TERMINOLOGY.

     WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is committed to fostering inclusivity, equality, and respect for all individuals, regardless of gender identity or expression; and

     WHEREAS, many existing statutes within the Hawaii Revised Statutes contain binary, gendered language that may not reflect the diverse identities of Hawaii's residents; and

     WHEREAS, the use of gender-neutral language in legislation promotes inclusivity and ensures that all individuals are equally recognized and protected under state law; and

     WHEREAS, in 2013, the Hawaii State Legislature passed marriage equality, ensuring that same-sex couples have the right to marry, and the rest of the Hawaii Revised Statutes should reflect this legal recognition when addressing married couples; and

     WHEREAS, in 2019, the Hawaii State Legislature expanded gender markers from the false narrative of the gender binary that utilizes "F" for female and "M" for male on state identification cards and driver's licenses; and

     WHEREAS, now, forms of state identification also include the marker "X" for those who do not identify within the gender binary; and

     WHEREAS, other jurisdictions have undertaken similar efforts to modernize statutory language to be more inclusive, and Hawaii should also ensure that state laws reflect the values of respect and aloha for all; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the LGBTQ+ Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women are requested to collaborate and conduct a comprehensive review of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and recommend amendments to incorporate gender-neutral terminology; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LGBTQ+ Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women are requested to:

     (1)  Draft recommended legislation to incorporate gender-neutral terminology in the Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (2)  Draft a recommendation for bill review to ensure future legislation incorporates gender-neutral terminology; and

     (3)  Submit a report of their findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation containing the suggested statutory amendments, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of the Attorney General is requested to assist the LGBTQ+ Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women in fulfilling these endeavors; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LGBTQ+ Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women are requested to engage with civil rights experts that specialize in gender identity and non-binary issues, such as Lambda Law Hawaii, in fulfilling these endeavors; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Chairperson of the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Commission; Chairperson of the Commission on the Status of Women; and Chair of the Lambda Law Hawaii student organization at the University of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law.

Report Title: 

LGBTQ+ Commission; Commission on the Status of Women; Inclusive Language; Gender-Neutral Terminology; Report

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1680

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.R. No. 95

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.R. No. 95 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE LGBTQ+ COMMISSION AND THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN TO REVIEW THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE TERMINOLOGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the State LGBTQ+ Commission and Commission on the Status of Women to collaborate and conduct a comprehensive review of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and recommend amendments to incorporate gender-neutral terminology.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State LGBTQ+ Commission and Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women.

     Your Committee finds that many existing statutes within state law contain binary, gendered language that does not fully reflect the diverse identities of the State's residents.  This measure seeks to address this issue by requesting the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to review state laws and recommend updates to incorporate gender-neutral language, ensuring that Hawaii's legal framework reflects the values of respect and aloha for all residents.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its title to make technical amendments;

     (2)  Extending the submission deadline for the report by the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to the Legislature to December 31, 2026; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 95, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 95, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,