HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

399

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HEALTH.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


PART I

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that sexuality health education promotes healthy attitudes on adolescent growth and development, body image, gender and sexuality, dating, relationships, and family.  The legislature further finds that sexuality health education should positively affect adolescent behavior and provide teens with the information, skills, and support the need to develop positive values, make healthy decisions, and respect the important role that sexuality plays throughout a person's life.  In the past three years, several states, including Hawaii, have enacted laws that require school districts that teach sexuality health education to include age appropriate, medically accurate health education.  The legislature finds, however, that the effectiveness of sexuality health education in Hawaii's schools could be bolstered by providing clearer guidance on a comprehensive approach to sexuality health education, greater flexibility in the implementation of the curricula, and greater public access to the curricula.

     The purpose of this part, therefore, is to:

     (1)  Specify additional elements to include in Hawaii's existing sexuality health education law;

     (2)  Require the department of education to provide information on the curricula to the public; and

     (3)  Require minimum education and training requirements for sexuality health education teachers.

     SECTION 2.  Section 321-11.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§321-11.1[]]  Medically accurate sexuality health education.  (a)  Sexuality health education programs funded by the State shall provide medically accurate and factual information that [is]:

     (1)  Is age appropriate [and includes];

     (2)  Includes education on abstinence, contraception, and methods of disease prevention to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, including human immunodeficiency virus[.];

     (3)  Helps students develop relationships and communication skills to form healthy relationships that are based on mutual respect and affection and free from violence, coercion, and intimidation;

     (4)  Helps students develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, and stress management to make healthy decisions about sexuality and relationships; and

     (5)  Encourages students to communicate with their parents, guardians, and other trusted adults about sexuality and intimate relations.

     (b)  At their own discretion, teachers may answer in good faith any question initiated by a student or students that is reasonably related to and consistent with the material of a course provided pursuant to subsection (a).

     (c)  The department of education may eliminate or modify components of instruction under subsection (a)(2) in elementary school for reasons of age appropriateness.

     (d)  Sexuality health education under subsection (a) shall not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

     (e)  The department of education shall develop, maintain, and make available to the public a current list of sexuality health education curricula that are consistent with the requirements under subsection (a).

     (f)  The department of education shall establish minimum education and training qualifications for sexuality health education teachers.

    [(b)] (g)  For the purposes of this section:

     "Age appropriate" means suitable to a particular age or age group based on developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for that age or age group.

     "Factual information" means medical, psychiatric, psychological, empirical, or statistical information that is verified or supported by research conducted by recognized medical, psychiatric, psychological, and public health professionals or organizations.

     "Medically accurate" means verified or supported by research conducted in compliance with accepted scientific methods and recognized as accurate and objective by professional organizations and agencies with expertise in the relevant field, such as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

     "Sexuality health education" means education in any medium regarding human development and sexuality, including education on pregnancy, family planning, and sexually transmitted diseases."

PART II

     SECTION 3.  The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to title 21 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR ORGAN, BONE MARROW, OR

PERIPHERAL BLOOD STEM CELL DONATION

     §   -1  Definitions.  As used in this chapter:

     "Employee" means a person who may be permitted, required, or directed by an employer for wages or pay to engage in any employment and who has been employed by that employer for at least one year immediately preceding the commencement of leave provided under this chapter.

     "Employee benefits" means all benefits, other than salary and wages, provided or made available to an employee by an employer and includes group life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, and pensions, regardless of whether benefits are provided by a policy or practice of an employer.

     "Employer" means any private:

     (1)  Person;

     (2)  Partnership;

     (3)  Corporation;

     (4)  Association; or

     (5)  Other business entity,

that employs fifty or more employees.

     §   -2  Inapplicability.  This chapter shall not apply to any leave of absence provided to any public employee serving as an organ or bone marrow donor pursuant to section 78-23.6.

     §   -3  Paid leave requirement.  (a)  Subject to subsection (d), an employer shall provide to an employee a paid leave of absence not exceeding:

     (1)  Seven days each calendar year to serve as a bone marrow donor or peripheral blood stem cell donor; and

     (2)  Thirty days each calendar year to serve as an organ donor;

provided that the employee shall submit written verification to the employer that the employee is an organ donor, bone marrow donor, or peripheral blood stem cell donor and that there is a medical necessity for the donation of the organ, bone marrow, or peripheral blood stem cells.

     (b)  Any period of time during which an employee is required to be absent from work to serve as an organ donor, bone marrow donor, or peripheral blood stem cell donor shall not constitute a break in the employee's continuous service for the purpose of the employee's right to salary adjustments, sick leave, vacation, annual leave, or seniority.  During any period that an employee takes leave pursuant to subsection (a), the employer shall maintain and pay for coverage under a group health plan, as defined in section 5000(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the full duration of the leave, in the same manner as the coverage would have been maintained if the employee had been actively at work during the leave period.

     (c)  This chapter shall not affect the obligation of an employer to comply with any collective bargaining agreement or employee benefit plan that provides greater leave rights to employees than the rights provided under this chapter.

     (d)  An employer may require as a condition of an employee's initial receipt of leave provided pursuant to this section that the employee take up to three days of earned but unused sick leave, vacation, or paid time off for bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell donation and up to two weeks of earned but unused sick leave, vacation, or paid time off for organ donation, unless doing so would violate the provisions of any applicable collective bargaining agreement.

     (e)  Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, leave provided pursuant to this section shall not be taken concurrently with any leave taken pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) or chapter 398.

     (f)  Leave provided pursuant to this section may be taken in one or more periods, but in no event shall exceed the amount of leave prescribed in subsection (a).

     §   -4  Restoration of employment.  An employer, upon expiration of a leave authorized by this chapter, shall restore an employee to the position held by the employee when the leave began or to a position with equivalent seniority status, employee benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.  An employer may decline to restore an employee as required in this section because of conditions unrelated to the employee's exercise of rights under this chapter.

     §   -5  Employee rights.  (a)  An employer shall not interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of, or an attempt to exercise, a right established by this chapter.

     (b)  An employer shall not discharge, fine, suspend, expel, discipline, or in any other manner discriminate against an employee who:

     (1)  Exercises a right provided under this chapter; or

     (2)  Opposes a practice made unlawful by this chapter.

     §   -6  Civil action.  An employee may bring a civil action to enforce this chapter.  The court may enjoin any act or practice that violates this chapter and may order any equitable relief necessary and appropriate to redress the violation or to enforce this chapter."

PART III

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.


 


 

Report Title:

Keiki Caucus; Comprehensive Sex Education; Employment; Leave of Absence; Organ, Bone Marrow, or Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donation

 

Description:

Specifies additional elements to include in Hawaii's existing sexuality health education law.  Requires the Department of Education to provide specified information to the public.  Requires minimum education and training qualifications for sexuality health education teachers.  Requires certain private employers to allow employees to take paid leaves of absence for organ, bone marrow, or peripheral blood stem cell donation.  Requires employers to restore an employee returning from leave to the same or equivalent position.  Establishes a private right of action for employees seeking enforcement of provisions.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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