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HCR 99

House concurrent resolution congratulating the 2025 Mount Mansfield Union High School Cougars boys’ Division I championship Nordic ski team

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Alyssa Black and 7 co-sponsors

Requests two state commissions to review Hawaii Revised Statutes for gendered terms and propose gender-neutral amendments, with AG help, report by 2026.

Ceremonial Reading
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Bill Summary · HCR 99

Summary — HCR 99 (HD1) — Requesting a review to incorporate gender‑neutral terminology in the Hawaii Revised Statutes

Status: Concurrent resolution; introduced March 5, 2025. Reported from House Standing Committee on Health, Human Services & Homelessness (HSH) as amended (HD1) on March 28, 2025, recommending referral to JHA. Filed 3/5/2025. Related companion measures: SCR 26, SCR 46, HR 95.

Purpose / Intent

HCR 99 requests that two state advisory bodies — the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women — collaborate to conduct a comprehensive review of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) and recommend statutory amendments to replace binary or gendered language with gender‑neutral terminology. The resolution is intended to modernize statutory language to reflect gender diversity and ensure laws are inclusive of non‑binary and transgender residents.

Key provisions

  • Directs the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to:
    1. Conduct a comprehensive review of the HRS to identify gendered/binary language.
    2. Draft recommended legislation proposing gender‑neutral statutory amendments.
    3. Draft a recommendation for a bill‑review process to ensure future legislation uses gender‑neutral terminology.
    4. Submit a report of findings and recommendations, including proposed legislative language, by the specified deadline.
  • Requests assistance from the Department of the Attorney General in completing the review and drafting legislation.
  • Requests engagement with civil‑rights/gender‑identity experts (examples named in different versions: Lambda Law Student Association / Lambda Law Hawaii).
  • Requests that certified copies of the resolution be transmitted to the Governor, chairs of the two commissions, and the named student law organization.

Deadline / Timeline

  • Two versions exist:
    • Original HCR 99: report due no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the 2026 Regular Session.
    • HD1 (as reported): report due no later than December 31, 2026. HD1 is the reported version; the December 31, 2026 deadline would allow recommendations to inform the 2027 legislative cycle if enacted on that schedule.

Who is affected

  • Primary duties fall on the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women (both advisory bodies).
  • The Department of the Attorney General will provide technical assistance.
  • The resolution targets the statutory text of the Hawaii Revised Statutes; if followed by implementing legislation, state statutes, state forms, agencies, and persons referenced in law (including married couples, beneficiaries, license forms) could be affected by language changes.
  • Engagement with civil‑rights and legal experts is encouraged, particularly student legal organizations identified in the text.

Legal / Practical effect

  • HCR 99 is a concurrent resolution (non‑binding) that requests action; it does not itself amend law. Any statutory changes would require subsequent bills based on the commissions’ recommendations.
  • Expected impacts: modernization and increased inclusivity of statutory language, potential drafting workload for the commissions and AG, and possible downstream legislative proposals to replace gendered terms with gender‑neutral equivalents across HRS.

Committee action / votes

  • HSH recommended passage with amendments (HD1) on 3/20/2025 (6 Ayes, 2 Noes). Report adopted 3/28/2025 and recommended referral to JHA.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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