STAND. COM. REP. NO. 469-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2774
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was
referred H.B. No. 2774 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION IN PUBLIC
     PLACES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is recognize and support a mother's
right to breastfeed her child in a place of public accommodation.

     Testimony in support of this bill was received by the
Department of Health, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women &
Children, Hawaii State Commission On The Status Of Women,
American Academy of Pediatrics - Hawaii Chapter, Hawaii Civil
Rights Commission, Mother's Care For Tomorrow's Children, Hawaii
Mothers' Milk, Inc., Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Kokua Kalihi
Valley Health Center, Kaiser Permanente, American Civil Liberties
Union Of Hawaii, and many concerned individuals.  Testimony
expressing concern was submitted by an individual. 

     Your Committee finds that the advantages of breastfeeding
are indisputable and include nutritional, immunological,
psychological, as well as economic benefits for both the infant
and the mother.  It also promotes maternal and infant bonding,
supports brain development, decreases health care costs for
infants, and decreases absenteeism for working women.


 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 469-00
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 2774 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and Public
                                   Employment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   TERRY NUI YOSHINAGA, Chair