Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2139 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that any instruction, counseling, or information relating to sex shall be medically accurate, factually based, and objective.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Women's Coalition, the Community Alliance on Prisons, the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, and three individuals. The Department of Health testified in support of the intent of this measure. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Catholic Charities Hawaii.

Your Committees find that American teens are facing a serious health crisis. New cases of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy among teenagers in Hawaii are increasing at an alarming rate.

Your Committees further find that a troubling national trend has emerged. Communication levels between parents and teens concerning sexual transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, and birth control are low. At the same time, public policy is moving towards factual sex information that is less informative. Therefore, it is even more crucial for relevant state-funded programs to provide young people with more comprehensive information about sex and how to avoid unintended pregnancy, and prevent sexual transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.

Your Committees further find that knowledge is the best tool for protection against poor decision making. When teens have accurate and balanced information about sex, sexual transmitted diseases, pregnancy, contraceptives, and abstinence, they will have the tools necessary to make responsible decisions and to protect themselves.

Your Committees amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2139, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2139, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.