STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1614

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.R. No. 9

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.R. No. 9 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO REACH OUT TO HAWAII WOMEN AND ENGAGE THEM IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to request the Legislature to:

(1)  Encourage women to take active roles in public life, including business and government;

(2)  Provide support for women to fully participate in public life by recognizing the need for educational opportunities and family care;

(3)  Involve women more fully in the policymaking process; and

(4)  Focus on issues shown to be important to women and directly impact the everyday lives of women.

     The Patsy T. Mink Political Action Committee, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii Women's Political Caucus, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee notes the testimony of the Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, which included the 2010 study results of the Patsy T. Mink Political Action Committee.  The study indicated that nearly 72 percent of young women in Hawaii feel estranged from the political process and only four percent of the women surveyed felt that their participation in the political process would produce any meaningful result.  Your Committee further notes the testimony of the Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus that indicated:

(1)  Of the ten-member leadership team in the State House, two are women, and of the nine-member leadership team in the State Senate, four are women; and

(2)  Of the 20 State House standing committees, five are chaired by women, and of the 14 State Senate standing committees, five are chaired by women.

     Your Committee believes that having more women in leadership positions in the Legislature will assist in reversing the perceptions of those young women and enhance leadership opportunities for women at large.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 9 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair