HI HR90

Declares racism a public health crisis in Hawaii, recognizing its role as a social determinant of health affecting access to public safety, housing, education, and employment.

Acknowledges Hawaii's historical injustices including colonization, the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, decimation of the Native Hawaiian population, and dispossession from ancestral lands that continue to impact Native Hawaiian health outcomes and incarceration rates.

Recognizes that Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in Hawaii experience the poorest health outcomes despite Hawaii having the most multi-racial population in the United States, attributed to systemic racism.

Urges the Governor to declare racism a public health crisis and direct all state departments to assess how systemic racism exists in their policies, programs, and services, and to take steps to address racism and promote racial equity.

Calls for adoption of a Hawaii-based, culturally-based health justice framework and educational opportunities to understand and dismantle systemic racism in human services, economic development, health care, and public safety.