HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

162

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

Requesting THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, VIA THE BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, VIA THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, to collect information ON THE SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND GENDER IDENTITY AND GENDER EXPRESSION OF RESPONDENTS.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, major mental and physical health care professional associations recognize that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and intersex (LGBTQI) is part of natural variations that occur in sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Health published reports in 2018 and 2019 highlighting the issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer or questioning (LGBTQ) children and youth in Hawaii, including higher rates of isolation, depression, suicidal ideations or attempts, substance use and misuse, homelessness, and sexual and intimate partner violence; and

 

     WHEREAS, to date, data collection efforts indicate a significant population of indigenous lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning youth; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State relies on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System as a critical resource for monitoring the health of Hawaii's adult population; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System is a joint effort of the Hawaii Departments of Health and Education for monitoring the health of Hawaii's youth population; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is requested, via the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Department of Education is requested, via the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, to collect information on the sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity and gender expression of respondents; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to participate in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to publish a detailed report on the results of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System on its website every three years; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to include questions related to the sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity and gender expression of respondents in its Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to develop its own questions related to respondents' sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity and gender expression as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to publish a comprehensive report on the health of Hawaii's LGBTQI community every three years; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to include in this comprehensive report data collected from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to compare, in each of these reports, the prevalence of health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services between the LGBTQI population, and where possible LGBTQI sub-populations, and the general population; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to post each comprehensive report on its website; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Director of Public Safety, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, and President of the University of Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Intersex Children and Youth; Department of Health; Department of Education; Data Collection