STAND. COM. REP. NO. 337

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 604

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 604 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that victims of sexual assault are fully informed regarding treatment and emergency contraception.

     The measure accomplishes this goal by requiring all hospitals and public facilities to provide victims of sexual assault with information on emergency contraception and immediate access to emergency contraception when requested.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, the National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Women's Political Caucus, The Sex Abuse Treatment Center, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, and five individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health, Pro-Family Hawaii, Hawaii Family Forum and one individual.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that information on emergency contraception is an important part of treatment and counseling for victims of sexual assault.  Allowing these victims to be fully informed of all medical options and treatments available to them will provide a level of protection for women, help to prevent unintended pregnancies, and provide sexual assault survivors with information that may prevent a further trauma of pregnancy.

     Your Committee finds that the use of emergency contraception is approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration and is a safe and effective means of treating victims of sexual assault.

     In addition, your Committee finds that emergency contraception is consistent with the Ethical and Religious Directives published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  More than thirty-four Catholic Hospitals in the United States are currently offering emergency contraception information and treatment to sexual assault victims.

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 604, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 604, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair