STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3697

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 226

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 226, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DETERMINE FAMILY PLANNING FUNDING NEEDS FOR LEGISLATIVE CONSIDERATION IN THE STATE'S FISCAL BIENNIAL 2007-2009 BUDGET,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a working group to determine family planning funding needs for legislative consideration in the State's fiscal biennial 2007-2009 budget.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, the Hawaii Youth Services Network, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii ranks last among the fifty states in public family planning funding. Hawaii has high rates of unintended pregnancy, especially among teenagers and women in low income communities. Unplanned pregnancies invite higher rates of abortion. A working group that addresses the State's fiscal needs for family planning services is needed to ensure lower rates of unplanned pregnancies.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 226, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair