Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 136 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to reduce unintended teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease rates by ensuring that information provided in state-funded sex education, family planning, and pregnancy counseling is medically accurate.

The Department of Education, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, and Community Alliance on Prisons submitted testimony in support of this bill. An individual submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.

Your Committee finds that medically accurate sex information is critical to improving public health in the State. Requiring medically accurate information in sex education programs can have a significant impact in enhancing the knowledge and health of Hawaii's youth.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 136 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.