CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 129-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2821

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2821, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENSTRUAL EQUALITY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education and State Public Charter School Commission to provide menstrual products to all students, free of charge, on all public school and public charter school campuses; and

(2) Appropriate funds to provide the menstrual products.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the lack of adequate access to menstrual products in schools is harmful in many ways. It limits full participation in school, contributes to higher rates of school absenteeism and missed activities, and perpetuates gender and class inequities. Your Committee on Conference further finds that having a sufficient supply of menstrual products available to students will prevent the extended use of products beyond the recommended time or use of alternatives, which can cause serious health problems. Accordingly, this measure will promote menstrual equity by providing menstrual products to all students, free of charge, on all public and charter school campuses.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Defining "public school campuses" to include all Department of Education schools and public charter schools;

(2) Removing the addition of a new section to chapter 302D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which is no longer necessary as the definition of "public school campuses" includes public charter schools;

(3) Removing the appropriation sections, as the initiative is to be funded through the state budget measure; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2821, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2821, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair
____________________________ STACELYNN K. M. ELI Co-Chair	____________________________ BENNETTE MISALUCHA Co-Chair