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‘It’s about voices’: Hawaii organizations launch reading initiatives during Banned Books Week

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Organizations in Hawaii and across the country are observing Banned Books Week by calling attention to the dangers of censorship.

Latest Press Release


Hawaiʻi Federal Court Rules that FDA’s Restrictions on Medication Abortion are Unlawful

HONOLULU, HI – In an October 30 ruling, U.S. District Judge Jill Otake held that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) imposition of medically unnecessary restrictions on the medication abortion pill, Mifepristone, violated federal law.
ACLU of HI staff

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Stay informed on civil rights issues. Discover our latest actions and updates in the Press Release section.

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Confessions could be thrown out because of new Hawaii Supreme Court ruling

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A decision by the state’s highest court means changes are coming for criminal investigations in Honolulu.
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Hawaiʻi Matters | 105.9 The Wave FM: Salmah Rizvi on ACLU of Hawaiʻi

Salmah Rizvi on ACLU of Hawaiʻi, Know Your Rights, Finding Resources, the 60th Anniversary People's Fair in November.

Transgender Students Have Strong Protections In Hawaiʻi. That May Not Last

A private school on Maui is restricting transgender students’ access to bathrooms and sports teams. Some advocates are worried that more schools might follow.

Maui Preparatory Academy

Student Resource Officers (aka Cops) Will be Placed in DOE Schools

Students were more likely to be arrested on a campus with a school resource officer, according to Department of Education data.

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$1 Billion Superjail Is No Solution For Reform, Housing, Public Health

Our criminal justice issues are primarily driven by an affordable housing and public health crisis.

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Hawaii Senate Rejects Expansion Of Marijuana Decriminalization Law, While Broader Legalization Effort Appears Dead For The Year

Senators voted 12–11 against the decriminalization measure, SB 319, from Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D) on Friday. There was no discussion or debate prior to the floor vote.

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Legal Director, Wookie Kim, Weighs In On How Racism Is Common In Hawaiʻi Schools — And Often Goes Unaddressed

Nearly half of white high school students and more than half of Black students in the state said they’d experienced racism in schools, according to a federal survey recently pulled from the internet by Trump administration orders.

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Inmate dies after alleged assault by cellmate in Oahu jail

An investigation is underway after an inmate at Oahu Community Correctional Center died early Wednesday morning.

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ACLU Cites ‘Pattern Of Violence’ After Killing At Oʻahu Jail

The death of OCCC inmate Eric Scotton is apparently the third homicide in the Hawaiʻi correctional system in less than a year.

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Immigration Crackdown Begins In Hawaiʻi As Advocates, Lawmakers Push Back

Executive Director of the ACLU of Hawai'i, Salmah Rizvi, Weighs In On Constitutionally Protected Rights

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Here's How a Pilot Program to Clear Marijuana Possession Records is Going

ACLU of Hawai'i Policy Director, Carrie Ann Shirota, Shares Insights

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