STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2862

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2821

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2821, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require that menstrual products be provided to all students free of charge on all public school and public charter school campuses.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission, AAUW of Hawaii, Achieve Zero, Alliance for Period Supplies, Community Alliance on Prisons, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Diaper Bank, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Women Lawyers, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hoola Lahui Hawaii, Ilima Intermediate School Activist Club & Rainbow Royales GSA Club, Kamehameha Schools, Mai Movement Hawaii, Parents and Children Together, PHOCUSED, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, Rainbow Family 808, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Zonta Club of Kauai, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Common Cause Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that chronic absenteeism due to inadequate menstruation management is an avoidable detriment to a student's success, including a student's ability to engage in instructional activities. Accordingly, your Committee believes that the provision of free menstrual products to public school and public charter school students will help these students stay in class and engage in instructional activities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including clarifying information regarding Mai Movement Hawaii's Hoohanohano Initiative;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair