[Peace-discuss] Hawaii rejects Patriot Act

[C. G. Estabrook]

[Here's a model of something we should be working for in Illinois. --CGE]

On April 25, 2003, Hawaii's House approved the country's first statewide
resolution, SCR 18 "Reaffirming the State of Hawaii's Commitment to Civil
Liberties and the Bill of Rights." There were only 12 no votes in the
51-member Senate. The Hawaii Senate had approved the bill in March. Bob
Rees drafted the resolutions and led the coalition of Hawaii residents
that helped bring about the resolution's passage.
	--<http://www.bordc.org/states.htm#hawaii>

[Here's a copy of the resolution from the state's website at
<http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/scr18_.htm>.]

THE SENATE S.C.R. NO. 18 TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003 STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION reaffirming the state of Hawaii's commitment
to civil liberties and the bill of rights.

WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Legislature is committed to upholding the United
States Constitution and its Bill of Rights, and the Hawaii State
Constitution and its Bill of Rights (Article I, Sections 1-22); and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has a distinguished history of safeguarding
the freedoms of its residents; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is comprised of a diverse and multi-ethnic
population, and has experienced first hand the value of immigration to the
American way of life; and

WHEREAS, the residents of Hawaii during World War II experienced first
hand the dangers of unbalanced pursuit of security without appropriate
checks and balances for the protection of basic liberties; and

WHEREAS, the recent adoption of the USA Patriot Act and several executive
orders may unconstitutionally authorize the federal government to infringe
upon fundamental liberties in violation of due process, the right to
privacy, the right to counsel, protection against unreasonable searches
and seizures, and basic First Amendment freedoms, all of which are
guaranteed by the Constitutions of Hawaii and the United States; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of Hawaii are concerned that the actions of the
Attorney General of the United States and the United States Justice
Department pose significant threats to Constitutional protections; now,
therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State
of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the House of Representatives
concurring, that the State of Hawaii urges its Congressional delegation to
work to repeal any sections of the USA Patriot Act or recent executive
orders that limit or violate fundamental rights and liberties protected by
the Constitutions of Hawaii and the United States; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that to the extent legally possible, no state
resources -- including law enforcement funds and educational
administrative resources -- may be used for unconstitutional activities,
including but not limited to the following under the USA Patriot Act:

(1) Monitoring political and religious gatherings exercising their First
Amendment Rights;

(2) Obtaining library records, bookstore records, and website activities
without proper authorization and without notification;

(3) Issuing subpoenas through the United States Attorney's Office without
a court's approval or knowledge;

(4) Requesting nonconsensual releases of student and faculty records from
public schools and institutions of higher learning; and

(5) Eavesdropping on confidential communications between lawyers and their
clients.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution
be transmitted to Hawaii's delegation in the United States Congress.
 _____________________________

Report Title:

USA Patriot Act; Renouncement

  ==============================================================
  Carl Estabrook
  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign [MC-190]
  109 Observatory, 901 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana IL 61801 USA
  office: 217.244.4105 mobile: 217.369.5471 home: 217.359.9466
  <www.carlforcongress.org>
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