STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2418

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2694

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2694 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE CONTRACTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all principal departments in the State to use gender-neutral terminology in all state contracts.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawaii Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, and thirteen individuals.

Your Committees find that language matters. Language has the power to offer the validation and acknowledgement of identities and the power to deny it. Your Committees further find that requiring gender neutral language in government contracts will reinforce the need to make a conscious effort to use language that is inclusive and validating for everyone.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2694 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair