HAWAI'I: Stand Up for Your Religious Exemption!

On Jan. 23, 2025, Hawaiʻi State Sen. Ron Kouchi introduced Senate Bill 1437, and State Rep. Nadine Nakamura introduced its House companion bill, HB 1118. These bills would remove all non-medical exemptions to school immunization requirements currently available under Hawaiʻi law in an effort to increase vaccine uptake in school-age children.

The Hawai'i Legislature’s House Committee on Health held a hearing for HB 1118 on Feb. 7 and voted to move the bill along to the next step. The public showed up in full force to express opposition. Unfortunately, as seen in many state houses before, that did nothing to deter the majority of the committee with their vote.

This effort to take away non-medical exemptions comes at a time when the opposite is happening in other areas of the country. Most recently, Mississippi and West Virginia established religious exemptions after decades of being without. Hawaiʻi’s lawmakers want to join the few other states - New York, Connecticut, Maine and California that do not recognize non-medical exemptions to immunization requirements.

HB 1118 has now been referred to the Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Committee (JHA). Let’s fill their inboxes and let them know that Hawaiʻi citizens and visitors alike want to keep their religious exemption!

What you can do:
- Click on “Take Action” and follow the steps to have your voice heard.
- Set a meeting with your legislators. It is their job to listen to their constituents!
- Come to the Aloha Freedom Coalition Rally at the Capitol Building on Feb. 20.
When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Where: Capitol Building - 415 S. Beretania St., Honolulu

If you would like to take further action, you can also call the JHA Committee members to express your concerns about this bill:

Rep. David Tarnas (Chair) - 808-586-8510
Rep. Mahina Poepoe (Vice Chair) - 808-586-6790
Rep. Della Au Belatti - 808-586-9425
Rep. Elle Cochran - 808-586-6160
Rep. Mark Hashem - 808-586-6510
Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa - 808-586-8530
Rep. Amy Perruso (Majority Whip) - 808-586-6700
Rep. Gregg Takayama - 808-586-6340
Rep. Chris Todd (Majority Caucus Leader) - 808-586-8480
Rep. Diamond Garcia (Minority Floor Leader) - 808-586-8500
Rep. Garner Shimizu - 808-586-9470