2011 - our 46th Anniversary Year!
Since 1965, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Hawai‘i exists to protect the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the U.S. and State Constitutions. We fulfill this through legislative advocacy, litigation, and public education programs statewide. We are a non-partisan and private nonprofit organization that provides services at no cost to the public. To maintain our independence as a government watchdog, we do not accept government funds, relying instead on the generosity and kokua of our members and supporters.
We are your local ACLU! Your input is appreciated anytime.
- Request assistance from the legal program: click here for details.
- Contact the legislative program: <legislative@acluhawaii.org>.
- Recent legislative reports: http://www.hawaiiaclu.org/2009 and http://www.hawaiiaclu.org/2010.
- Requests for the public education program: <office@acluhawaii.org>.
- Upcoming local events for civil libertarians: Special Events.
- Breaking updates:
- Private email list, join by emailing <addme@acluhawaii.org>
- Follow us on Twitter <@acluhawaii>
- Friend us on Facebook <ACLUHawaii>.
- Press inquiries: <office@acluhawaii.org> or (808) 522-5904.
- Nominees Sought Year-Round for Hawai‘i Board:
The ACLU of Hawai‘i Nominating Committee** year-round seeks candidates statewide to fill future vacancies on Board of Directors. Nominees of diverse backgrounds are welcome who can be visionary leaders. Prior Board experience not required but solid candidates are committed to ACLU mission, collaboration and non-profit excellence. To increase diversity, we are especially encouraging individuals who best represent youth, ethnic/racial minorities and/or disability communities to be nominated. Send your recommendations – all confidential – to Executive Director Vanessa Chong <vchong@acluhawaii.org> along with resume of candidate.
** Andrea Low (chair), Jeff Hong, Tom Humphreys, Marianita Lopez (Affiliate Affirmative Action Officer) and Patrick Taomae
BREAKING NEWS FEED:
Civil Rights Attorneys Seek Dismissal of Unconstitutional Charges Filed Against Protesters
(09/16/2011)
The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii Foundation (“ACLU”) and the Honolulu law firm of Davis Levin Livingston today announced that they are representing Jamie and Tess Meier, whose peaceful protest in support of gender equality on a Kalakaua Avenue sidewalk was abruptly halted by police intervention. Both were unlawfully cited for their conduct. The ACLU and Davis Levin Livingston will appear on Monday morning, September 19, 2011 to enter a “not guilty” plea for the protesters. The attorneys have asked City and County of Honolulu (“CCH”) Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro to dismiss immediately the charges that the Meiers violated Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (“ROH”) § 10-1.3(a)(5) (failing to obtain a parks department permit for “meetings or gatherings or other similar activity held by organizations, associations or groups”) because the ordinance is unconstitutional and does not apply to the Meiers’ First Amendment activities.
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ACLU of Hawaii's "Give Aloha" code is: 77407
Give Aloha is an annual program through which Foodland directs its charitable giving to the organizations that are important to its customers. During September, Maika`i customers are invited to make a donation of up to $249 (per person, per organization) at checkout to their favorite non-profit organization registered in Give Aloha. Foodland matches a portion of each donation. This year, Foodland and the Western Union Foundation will match each donation up to a total of $300,000 for all organizations combined. Since the program began in 1999, a total of more than $15 million has been raised for the community.
Note: Give Aloha donations come directly to the ACLU, but they are anonymous. Use your store receipt for your tax deduction. If you would also like to be acknowledged by the ACLU of Hawaii for your gift, please contact our office via email, or send a copy of your receipt to: ACLU of Hawaii/Give Aloha P.O. Box 3410, Honolulu, HI 96801. Mahalo!
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"Growing up in the Shadow of 9-11"
A live webcast press conference
Weds., 8/31/11 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. HST
(08/26/2011)
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, we as Americans chose to sacrifice or erode many of our fundamental rights, seeking greater safety. How does this policy legacy affect us, and upcoming generations - and who controls the future of our individual rights in a post 9-11 America?
This is a web-based press conference for student journalists statewide. It will be publicly viewable, on the Civil Beat website: http://www.civilbeat.com
Hear an expert and diverse panel respond to questions they receive from Hawaii's young journalists. Speakers are planned to include:
• Hina Shamsi, Director of the ACLU National Security Project headquartered in New York. Hina is an attorney and an expert in the intersection of national security and counterterrorism policies and international human rights and humanitarian law. She is the author and co-author of publications on torture, targeted killing, and extraordinary rendition, and has monitored the military commissions at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
• Supervisory Special Agent Anthony Lang, Chief Division Counsel for the FBI Honolulu Division. From 2001 through mid- 2004, SSA Lang was the Chief of the Counterterrorism Law Unit at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. SSA Lang assisted in the drafting of the USA PATRIOT ACT following September 11, 2001. SSA Lang is a member of both the Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Bars. and a lecturer at Honolulu Community College where he teaches Evidence in the Administration of Justice Program.
• Civil Beat's Michael Levine. Michael reports on law, crime, politics and government (with an emphasis on government transparency), and will discuss the landscape for journalists in post-9/11 America.
• Youth sharing their own takes on the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and their hopes for the future of their country. Mickey Knox, a third-year law student at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law will join.
• ACLU of Hawaii Director of Communications and moderator Kit Grant.
If you are a student/youth journalist not already invited to attend, and who would like to ask questions of the panel, please contact Kit at (808) 522-5904 or kgrant@acluhawaii.org by noon on Tuesday, 8/30/11. Mahalo!
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(08/12/2011)
New Report: Highlights from the Campaign to End Overincarceration
A new report, detailing how several states with long histories of being “tough on crime” have enacted bipartisan reforms relying on alternatives to incarceration, underscoring that reform is not only politically and fiscally viable, but that other states must also urgently follow suit. These six states – Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio – also experienced declines in their crime rates while these new policies were in place. The report further documents ongoing reform efforts in four more states – California, Louisiana, Maryland, and Indiana – and identifies national criminal justice trends. It offers selected recommended reforms to pre-trial, sentencing, parole, and probation systems that lawmakers can enact to reduce states’ incarceration rates and corrections budgets while keeping communities safe.
Read it now!
http://www.aclu.org/criminal-law-reform/smart-reform-possible-states-reducing-incarceration-rates-and-costs-while
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ACLU-HI Submits "Friend of the Court" Brief on Behalf of Traveling Medical Cannabis Patients
(08/08/2011)
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