STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1266-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.R. No. 7

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.R. No. 7 entitled:

 

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO AFFIRM THEIR COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE TENETS OF TITLE IX AND THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT 2013 AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I'S DEDICATION TO ENDING ALL FORMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON HAWAII CAMPUSES THROUGH A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF TITLE IX AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT 2013 POLICIES, PROCEDURES, STAFFING, AND STATISTICS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to prevent sex discrimination and violence against women and girls at the University of Hawaii by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Requesting the University of Hawaii to:

 

          (A)  Affirm its commitment to the tenets of Title IX and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) and to the prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls;

 

          (B)  Ensure that the University of Hawaii is committed to increasing resources and strengthening the institutional infrastructure of all its campuses with respect to addressing and preventing sexual violence and other forms of gender violence and discrimination;

 

          (C)  Meet the mandates of Title IX, including publicizing notice of nondiscrimination on the basis of sex; designating an employee to coordinate compliance with Title IX; adopting appropriate complaint and investigation procedures; implementing educational and victim-resource programs; and providing various forms of training;

 

          (D)  Formulate plans to address and prevent gender discrimination and gender violence across the University of Hawaii system but particularly at the University of Hawaii at Manoa;

 

          (E)  Conduct a study on the prevalence of sexual violence on all campuses of the University of Hawaii system and disseminate copies of this study, as appropriate;

 

          (F)  Identify crucial stakeholders and offices to handle complaints of sex-based violence, harassment, and discrimination; and

 

          (G)  Develop streamlined policies and procedures to assist complainants and to help the University of Hawaii respond to complaints in a timely and effective manner; and

 

     (2)  Requesting the University of Hawaii to submit a report of its guidelines and the status of its Title IX and VAWA policies, procedures, staffing, and statistics, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2015.

 

     The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; YWCA of Oahu; Americans for Democratic Action; Planned Parenthood of Hawaii; Women's Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Hawaii Women's Coalition; Sex Abuse Treatment Center; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; and five concerned individuals supported the measure.  The University of Hawaii provided comments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 7 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair