STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1780

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 664

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 664, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the ban on sexual orientation change efforts applies to conversion therapy practices or treatments that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, Hawai‘i Psychological Association, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, Pride at Work Hawaii, Mental Health America of Hawai‘i, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, and eight individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Hawaii Family Forum, National Task Force for Therapy Equality, and three individuals.

Your Committees find that conversion therapy can be abusive and cause psychological distress with regard to changing sexual orientation and gender identity. Conversion therapy has long been discredited by respected medical and mental health institutions, including the American Psychological Association, and has been outlawed for licensed mental health providers in nine states and the District of Columbia. Your Committees note that this measure is a housekeeping measure that is the product of a task force led by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health and clarifies that the ban on these destructive procedures applies equally to efforts to change the sexual orientation of lesbian, gay, or bisexual minors and efforts to change the gender identity of transgender minors. This measure further replaces "sexual orientation change efforts" with the more commonly known term "conversion therapy" to promote clarity.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2019; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 664, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 664, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair