STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1383-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.R. No. 7

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.R. No. 7 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO AFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE TENETS OF TITLE IX AND THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT 2013 AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII'S DEDICATION TO ENDING ALL FORMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON HAWAII CAMPUSES THROUGH A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF TITLE IX AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT 2013 POLICIES, PROCEDURES, STAFFING, AND STATISTICS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to promote the goals of Title IX and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) by requesting the University of Hawaii to take steps to address and prevent sex discrimination and violence against women and girls.

     Specifically, the measure requests the University of Hawaii to:

(1) Affirm its commitment to following the tenets of Title IX and VAWA and to the prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls;

(2) Ensure that the University is committed to increasing resources and strengthening the institutional infrastructure of all its campuses with respect to addressing and preventing sexual violence and other forms of gender violence and discrimination;

(3) Meet the mandates of Title IX, including publicizing a notice of nondiscrimination on the basis of sex; designating an employee to coordinate compliance with Title IX; adopting appropriate complaint and investigation procedures; implementing educational and victim-resource programs; and providing various forms of training;

(4) Formulate plans to address and prevent gender discrimination and gender violence, disseminate information about revisions to its policies and procedures, and develop best practices for responding to victims;

(5) Conduct a study on the prevalence of sexual violence at all University campuses and disseminate copies of the study, as appropriate;

(6) Identify crucial stakeholders and offices to handle complaints of sex-based violence, harassment, and discrimination, and develop streamlined policies and procedures to assist complainants and timely responses from the University; and

(7) Submit a report of its guidelines and the status of its Title IX and VAWA policies, procedures, staffing, and statistics, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2015.

     The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; YWCA of Oahu; Planned Parenthood of Hawaii; Women's Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Hawaii Women's Coalition; Sex Abuse Treatment Center; and a concerned individual supported the measure.  The University of Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the condition that the University of Hawaii consult with its student governing bodies, faculty governing bodies, and the unions representing its workers when taking the actions requested by the resolution;

(2) Making illustrative, rather than exhaustive, the list of fields of study where women and girls may experience stereotypes, discrimination, and barriers; and

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

     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. 7, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 7, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair