STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1726
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2021
RE: S.C.R. No. 100
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2021
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 100 entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE FREE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS TO STUDENTS ON ALL HAWAII PUBLIC SCHOOL CAMPUSES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to request the Department of
Education to provide free menstrual products to students on all Hawaii public
school campuses.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Ma‘i Movement Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Women's Coalition, I Support The Girls Hawaii, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.
Your Committee finds that, according to the
nationwide survey conducted by Always of Proctor and Gamble, since the beginning
of the COVID-19 pandemic, one out of three parents are worried about their ongoing
ability to afford menstrual products.
Your Committee further finds that a 2016 New York City pilot program found
that access to free menstrual products in public schools increased attendance
by 2.4 percent, leading to a package of legislation providing free access to
menstrual products for New York City's students. This measure requests the Department of
Education to also provide free menstrual products to students in Hawaii's
public schools.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 100 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,
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____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair |
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