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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
179 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE Legislative Reference Bureau to 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 the State'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 the State should also ensure that state laws reflect the values of respect and aloha for all; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to conduct a comprehensive review of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and recommend amendments to incorporate gender-neutral terminology; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is 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;
(3) Submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation containing the suggested statutory amendments, to the Legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and
(4) Submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation containing the suggested statutory amendments, to the Legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to consult with:
(1) The Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission;
(2) The State Commission on the Status of Women;
(3) Civil rights experts at the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission and the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law; and
(4) Law-related organizations such as Lambda Law Hawaiʻi and the Hawaii LGBT Legal Association; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau; Chairperson of the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Commission; Chairperson of the State Commission on the Status of Women; Chair of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; Dean of the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law; Director of the Hawaii LGBT Legal Association; and Chair of the Lambda Law Hawaii student organization at the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law.
LRB; LGBTQ+ Commission; Commission on the Status of Women; Inclusive Language; Gender-Neutral Terminology; Report