STAND. COM. REP. NO.  217-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 466

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 466, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide sexual assault survivors with informed access to emergency contraception by:

(1)  Requiring hospitals and health facilities that provide medical care to these survivors to:

(A)  Provide accurate information about emergency contraception;

(B)  Inform survivors of the option to receive emergency contraception at the facility;

(C)  Provide emergency contraception immediately, upon request; and

(D)  Ensure that each person at the facility providing medical care to the survivor is trained regarding emergency contraception and sexual assault treatment;

     (2)  Requiring that funding for emergency contraception be provided from the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Special Fund; and

     (3)  Authorizing the Department of Health (DOH) to impose fines for violations of these requirements.

     Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, Community Alliance on Prisons, Democratic Women's Caucus, Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies of Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Political Caucus, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii-Action Network, and several individuals testified in support of this bill.

     DOH, St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, Hawaii Family Forum, and Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii opposed this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 466, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair