STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1007

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   S.B. No. 777

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 777, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY HEALTH EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure the delivery of accurate sex education information by requiring any recipient of state funding that provides sexuality health education to provide medically accurate, factual, and comprehensive information that is age appropriate and includes education on abstinence and contraception.

 

     The Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii Women's Political Caucus, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Family Forum, Hawaii Catholic Conference, the Mary Jane Program of Catholic Charities Hawaii, and several concerned individuals opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Clarifying that the state funding referred to in this bill is specifically for sexuality health education;

 

(2)  Rephrasing language regarding the prevention of unintended pregnancy to bring it in line with Board of Education policies; and

 

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 777, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 777, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Education.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair