Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2788 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to enable the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women (Commission) to continue funding programs that help women achieve parity with men by appropriating funds to the Commission.

The Commission, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Honolulu County Committee on the Status of Women, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, National Association of Social Workers, Kokua Council, T.J. Mahoney & Associates, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.

Your Committee received testimony demonstrating that while women have made great strides in improving their economic self-sufficiency, health, and overall social-political parity with men, it is a slow process that requires efforts by programs such as the Commission. The Commission is a principal statewide governmental and community resource that addresses an extensive spectrum of issues affecting the status of women in Hawaii, but it has functioned in a diminished capacity due to budgetary and staffing restrictions.

Your Committee supports the need for continued function of the Commission and encourages a sufficient appropriation to allow the Commission to operate at full capacity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2788 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.