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November News 2004
October News 2004
September News 2004
August News 2004
June News 2004
April News 2004
March News 2004
February News 2004
January News 2004




November 2004
ACLU Sues to Invalidate Ballot Amendment (11/22/2004)
Honolulu - The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii (ACLU) filed a lawsuit today to invalidate a ballot measure to change the State Constitution, which passed in the general election, and criticized the legislature for failing to follow the mandatory requirements when proposing amendments.


October 2004
ACLU Statement Says Governor's Attacks Are Baseless (10/19/2004)
Honolulu ｭ The ACLU today countered Governor Lingle's remarks about its work on improving youth facility conditions and challenged the Governor to heed her own advice.

ACLU Files Election Lawsuit To Stop Ballot Amendment (10/15/2004)
Honolulu - The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii filed a lawsuit today on behalf of eight registered voters to stop a ballot amendment from going forward in the general election. Filed in Circuit Court against Governor Linda Lingle and Chief Elections officer Dwayne Yoshina, the lawsuit asks the court to stop the placement of Constitutional Amendment Question 1 on the general election ballot because the legislature failed to follow procedures required of a constitutional amendment before the electorate votes.


September 2004
ACLU Forum on U.S. Supreme Court Highlights National Security and Personal Freedom Threats (9/29/04)
Honolulu - The U.S. Supreme Court opens its 2004 term next Monday and the ACLU of Hawai'i is offering a public forum to raise awareness about the impact of Court decisions on daily American life. National ACLU legal director Steven Shapiro will keynote the October 30 event which is free to the public.

ACLU ASKS COURT TO STOP ENFORCEMENT OF THE "SQUATTERS LAW" (9/27/2004)
Honolulu - The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today filed a motion in the U.S. District Court to stop enforcement of a recently enacted trespass statute because it gives public officials overly broad powers to ban individuals from using public spaces such as beaches, streets or sidewalks, and it has already been misused. Judge Helen Gillmor is scheduled to hear argument on the Motion on October 25, 2004 at 9:45 a.m.


ACLU CALLS ON POLICE CHIEFS TO LIMIT TASER GUN USE (9/16/2004)
Honolulu - Citing uncertainty about the safety of taser guns and an increasing number of in-custody deaths associated with its use, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today called on Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa and Maui Police Chief Thomas Phillips to revise their use-of-force policies to allow taser use only in situations where lethal force would be justified.

ACLU Sues State Charging "Squatters Law" Curtails Right Of Access To Public Spaces (9/7/2004)
Honolulu - The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Governor Linda Lingle and Attorney General Mark Bennett charging that a recently enacted trespass statute is unconstitutional and gives public officials overly broad powers to ban individuals from using public spaces such as beaches, streets or sidewalks.


August 2004
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO INVESTIGATE YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY (8/30/2004)
Honolulu - The ACLU of Hawaii learned last Friday that the U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the conditions at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility. The federal investigation comes nearly one year after the ACLU first exposed the inhumane and unconstitutional conditions at HYCF.


June 2004
In Historic Court Victory for ACLU, Honolulu Agrees to Create New Rules Affirming Free Speech and Religious Neutrality (6/23/2004)
Honolulu - The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiｹi claimed victory today in three First Amendment cases resulting in a historic settlement agreement with the city and county of Honolulu, which ensured that gay rights organizations and other political groups cannot be blocked from participating in city-sponsored events and that taxpayer funds will no longer be used to promote one religion over others.

Youth Award Winners Announced (6/23/2004)
Honolulu - The ACLU of Hawai'i today announced that a Baldwin High School senior with a dramatic flair for the Bill of Rights, a Punahou High School senior who founded the first Gay Straight Alliance in a private school and a Kalani High School senior who fought against racial intolerance are winners of the second annual ACLU of Hawai'i Youth Award.

ACLU Urges Governor to Break Stalemate Over Brutal Conditions at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (6/14/2004)
Honolulu - Ten months after exposing the brutal and unconstitutional treatment of children at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF), the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii (ACLU) has discovered that the Office of Youth Services (OYS), which has oversight of HYCF, authored a document that confirms the existence of all but two of the ACLU痴 stated concerns. The ACLU charges that OYS Executive Director, Sharon Agnew, has derailed a collaborative effort by closing the doors to any discussions with the organization about reform. The ACLU today urged Governor Lingle to address the unabated conditions at HYCF and move State discussions back on track.

April 2004
ACLU Youth Award Seeks Nominations (4/14/2004)
Honolulu - The ACLU of Hawai'i seeks to recognize high school students statewide whose actions have raised awareness about the Bill of Rights. Nominees for the Youth Award are eligible for a $1,000 or one of two $500 cash awards.

March 2004
ACLU Applauds Hawai段 Supreme Court Decision Protecting The Hawai段 State Constitution (3/19/2004)
Honolulu - The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai`i (ACLU of Hawai`i) today hailed a decision by the Hawai段 Supreme Court that protects the Hawai`i Constitution from unwarranted amendments.

February 2004
ACLU Supports Taxi Company President Against SLAPP Suit Which Violates First Amendment (2/18/2004)
Honolulu - The ACLU of Hawai'i today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Hawai'i Supreme Court to support an individual for speaking out against alleged abuses in the Honolulu International Airport taxi concession. The ACLU argues that such a lawsuit ｭ commonly referred to as a SLAPP suit ｭ violates the First Amendment by punishing individuals petitioning the government to remedy illegal activities. This is the first time a SLAPP suit is being challenged in Hawai'i courts.

Hawai段 Juvenile Justice Project - Public Forum to Address Youth Facility Overcrowding (2/11/2004)
Honolulu - The Hawai段 Juvenile Justice Project is holding a public forum on March 4 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Blaisdell Center to address the problem of overcrowding and other problems at the Hawai段 Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF). National juvenile justice experts Sue Burrell of the Youth Law Center and Dan Macallair of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice will be joined by local speakers (in formation). The forum is co-sponsored by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

January 2004
Hawai'i Juvenile Justice Project Started to Address Youth Facility Overcrowding (1/5/2004)
Honolulu - A statewide network of community and government groups have formed the Hawai'i Juvenile Justice Project to address the problem of overcrowding at the Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility. They are holding an informational meeting with with legislators tomorrow at 12:45 p.m. at the State Capitol room 329.
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