Free speech is one of our country’s founding principles. But that doesn’t mean it is safe from attack.
Back in May, the Hawaiʻi Legislature passed a bill — which the governor promptly signed into law — that will directly infringe on our First Amendment rights when it goes into effect in July 2027.
That new law, known as Act 11, will prohibit groups you might normally think of as representing you — nonprofits, unions, corporations, community associations and more — from saying anything about candidates for public office, ballot measures or political parties.
In response, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii filed a lawsuit last month to strike it down.
If Act 11 is allowed to stand, not only Grassroot but all groups, regardless of their points of view, will no longer be able to speak publicly about issues that could directly affect the lives of the individuals they represent. Even the groups that supported this law will no longer be able to speak out on such matters.
As an organization representing many thousands of voices in Hawaii, we could not ignore such an obvious effort to take away this vitally important freedom enshrined in our country’s Constitution.
Great men and women have fought and died for us to have this freedom. It is one of our key shields against tyranny, and we must guard against any attempt to take it away from us.
I trust that the courts will agree with us and act quickly to quash this audacious bid to suppress our right to speak out on matters concerning the future of Hawaii.
Keli‘i Akina is president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.
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