STAND. COM. REP. NO.  541

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 459

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 459 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

(1)  Specify additional elements in Hawaii's sexuality health education law, including additional criteria regarding implementation of sexuality health education instruction;

 

(2)  Require the Department of Education to develop, maintain, and make a current list of sexuality health education curricula available to the public; and

 

(3)  Allow parents to opt out from having their children receive sexuality health education as specified in law.   

 

     The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, American Association of University Women – Hawaii, Americans for Democratic Action, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Community Alliance on Prisons, and several individuals supported this measure.  PEACE Hawaii, Non-profit for At-Risk Children, Sure Foundation Puna, and numerous individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Education, Ohana Project of the Hawaii Parents Coalition, and three individuals commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Deleting provisions enabling parents or legal guardians to opt out from having their children participate in sexuality health education instruction upon written request;

 

(2)  Deleting the provision requiring the Department of Education to establish minimum education and training qualifications for sexuality health education teachers;

    

(3)  Requiring the Department of Education to submit an annual report to the Legislature on the outcomes of the Department of Education's policy to allow parents and guardians of students to opt in to receive sexuality health education instruction as provided under this measure;

 

(4)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

(5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 H.B. No. 459, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 459, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Education.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair