STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3479

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 12

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 12 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING JANUARY 22-28, 2012 AS "REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AWARENESS WEEK," TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC AWARENESS, CONVERSATION, AND SUPPORT FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AWARENESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to designate January 22-28, 2012, as "Reproductive Rights Awareness Week".

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Youth Services Network, Community Alliance on Prisons, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that recently, women's reproductive rights have been receiving much national attention, and according to the Guttmacher Institute, in 2011, over a thousand state laws regarding women's reproductive health and rights were introduced across the nation.  Reproductive Rights Awareness Week will create an opportunity to disseminate information, boost public awareness, and support for reproductive rights in the State and will encourage maternal, family, and child wellbeing.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the designated date of Reproductive Rights Awareness Week to the fourth week of January of every year, rather than from January 22-28, 2012;

     (2)  Changing the title to reflect the amended date; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 12, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 12, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair