Hawaiian lawmakers launched a task force to gather data and study the impact of sex trafficking on Native women and children. Researchers found that 64% of sex trafficking victims are Native Hawaiians. Local activists blame tourism and the lack of law enforcement resources to stop the widespread abuse across the islands. “If there’s no data, there’s no problem,” said Khara Jabola-Carolus, Executive Director of the Hawaii State Commission on the State of Women. She added concrete numbers are needed to understand the scope of the problem. In 2020, the Hawaii Attorney General established a human trafficking coordinator to develop training and increase the number of prosecutions.
The false missile alert in Hawaii in 2018 has prompted federal officials to take steps to make sure a similar mistake doesn't happen again. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security is recommending two changes in the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS): require state and local alerting authorities to implement new emergency alert software; and mandate new training requirements for state, Tribal, and territorial alerting authorities. Both requirements are to be put in place by October 31, 2019.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will enhance the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to prevent “unexpected false alarms” like the one that warned Hawaii residents of a ballistic missile attack. State and local officials can now conduct “live code” tests for wireless phones with the same codes and procedures used during an actual emergency. The FCC said the updates will help prevent “alert fatigue.”