STAND. COM. REP. NO. 145

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 218

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 218 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTHCARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require hospitals to provide survivors of sexual assault with medically and factually accurate, unbiased information regarding emergency contraception in order to provide safe and effective means of preventing pregnancy after a sexual assault to those who wish to use such medications.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu; Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus; Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; the Women's Coalition; The Sex Abuse Treatment Center; Planned Parenthood of Hawaii; The League of Women Voters of Honolulu; the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii; Papa Ola Lokahi; Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, and five private citizens.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health; St. Francis Health System of Hawaii; and Pro-Family Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii hospitals lack standardized policies on this issue and a legislative response is needed to provide sexual assault victims with a choice regarding pregnancy prevention.

 

     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 S.B. No. 218 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair