Inside this issue:

  • Hawaii Legislature Now Open!
  • What's Coming Up in Hawaii (with Legislative Deadlines)
  • ALICE in Hawai'i: 2024 Facts & Figures
  • Across the Nation
  • Take a Walk with Me (Opening Day) | Triple F Show

Hawaii State Legislature Opens!

The 33rd Hawaii State Legislature opened on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, with the House and Senate sessions.  I was there (with many others) and used my GoPro to take. some videos.  If you want to see that video, check out our YouTube channel for this week's show.  It should be uploaded by the end of day today or tomorrow morning.

ACTION: We encourage you to send a quick message of aloha to your legislator to make contact.  Click this link to send a message now. You will be directed to our VoterVOICE link, which has a pre-populated message. (The message is editable, and we strongly encourage you to make it your own.) You don't need to know who your legislator is (although we hope you do).  Our system will connect you to your own legislator.  The system is so easy you can do this in under 5 minutes.  It is a great way to practice for the upcoming session.

SEND AN ALOHA MESSAGE TO YOUR SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE BY CLICKING THIS LINK.

What's Coming Up in Hawaii

JAN 17 LAST DAY TO INTRODUCE ALL NON-ADMINISTRATION BILL PACKAGES – Bills bundled together by common interest groups and accepted and labeled as a package by the clerks. You can view the various packages of legislation by clicking “Reports and Lists” 

JAN 17 LAST DAY FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBMIT GRANT AND SUBSIDY REQUESTS – Deadline for “Grant-in-Aid” (GIA) applications. Grants may be appropriated to nonprofit and other organizations for various public purposes that are recognized as priorities and are seen as complimentary to state government functions. Applications, information, and more specifics regarding the deadline appear under “Legislative Information”

ALICE in Hawai‘i: 2024 Facts and Figures

(From Aloha United Way) Key Findings of the 2024 State of ALICE in Hawai‘i Report:

Fewer Households in Poverty: While households below the poverty line dropped to 12% in 2024 (from 14% in 2022), ALICE households remain steady at 29%, reflecting ongoing financial strain.

Out-migration Concerns: Over one-third (37%) of households have considered leaving Hawai‘i due to high living and housing costs.

Housing Insecurity: 27% of households statewide fear being forced to move within a year—a figure that jumps to 41% among ALICE households.

Food Insecurity: Nearly half (46%) of ALICE households struggle with consistent food access, compared to 28% statewide.

Workforce at Risk: A majority (53%) of residents under 35 years old are below the ALICE Threshold, threatening Hawai‘i’s future workforce.

Maui County Hardships: ALICE households in Maui County increased by 9 percentage points since 2022, exacerbated by the August 2023 wildfires.

[Read the full report here.]

Across the Nation

A Major Win for Women & Girls Nationwide

[From Alliance Defending Freedom]. A federal district court issued a ruling that protects girls' sports and privacy nationwide.  In the case of State of Tennessee v. Cardona, the court struck down the Biden-Harris administration’s attempt to redefine sex to include “gender identity” in federal law. This ruling is a significant victory for the protection of women and girls nationwide and for the truth that God created us male and female.  ADF CEO, president, and general counsel Kristen Waggoner joined Fox News to explain the impact of this decision. Watch her discuss how the ruling preserves Title IX's original intent and safeguards privacy, fairness, and equal opportunities for women across the country. [Watch the video here.]

Abortion Across the Nation

Lawmakers in four states — Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire and Tennessee — have introduced bills to ban abortion-inducing pills. Those measures differ from legislation passed in Louisiana last year, where lawmakers voted to classify abortion medication as a controlled dangerous substance. (Associated Press, Chicago Tribune)

Judge Rules Abortion Pill Challenge Against FDA Can Go Forward

[From Liberty Counsel] AMARILLO, TX – Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho can move forward with their lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that could restrict future access to the abortion drug Mifepristone. The states argue that the FDA’s deregulation of Mifepristone allows the drug to cross their borders and undermine their abortion laws. The ruling denied the FDA’s request to dismiss the case and granted the states more time to amend and strengthen their complaint.

[Read the full story at Liberty Counsel]

Catch Up on the Faith and Family First Podcast

New video should be uploaded by end of day today or tomorrow morning.