STAND. COM. REP. NO.  707

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 399

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 399 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help ensure students have the information they need to make positive, healthy decisions by requiring the Department of Education to provide sexuality health education in every school, at every level beginning with the 2014-2015 school year and specifying curriculum requirements for such education. 

 

     This measure also requires the Department of Education to make the sexuality health education curricula available to the public and requires students to be excused from any part of the instruction upon the written request of the student's parent or legal guardian.

 

     The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association and Hawaii Youth Services Network supported the intent of this bill.  The Department of Education opposed this measure.

 

     While your Committee acknowledges the compelling testimony presented, the requirements of this measure impose obligations upon the Department of Education that entail the expenditure of resources, which may displace other worthy Department programs and services.  As such, your Committee respectfully requests that the provision of additional resources to support this mandate be considered should this measure move forward in the legislative process.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the requirement that the Department of Education provide the specified sexuality health education beginning with the 2014-2015 school year; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 399, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 399, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair