STAND. COM. REP. NO.  411

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 189

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 189 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GENDER EQUITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote gender equality by requiring the Governor or other appointing authorities to strive for gender equity when appointing members of state boards and commissions, and give priority to achieving the goal of general equity when appointing individuals to vacancies, at-large positions, and alternative positions.  

The Governor, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Community Alliance on Prisons, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that gender equity in appointments is a vital part of ensuring that women have an equal voice in important public policy discussions and decisions.  In recommending the passage of this measure, your Committee wishes to highlight that this bill is not intended to bind the selection process of the Governor or other appointing agencies by mandating certain percentages or quotas.  Instead, this is intended as a policy statement to make both the Governor and appointing authorities aware of and give consideration to the gender imbalance that persists in such appointments when making them.

     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. 189 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair