THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	110
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO GENDER-NEUTRAL TERMINOLOGY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Chapter 578, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§578-   Interpretation of words to be gender-neutral. With regard to the rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of persons set forth in this chapter, all gender-specific terminology, such as "husband", "wife", "mother", "father", or similar terms, shall be construed in a gender-neutral manner. This rule of interpretation shall apply to all administrative rules adopted hereunder."

SECTION 2. Chapter 580, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§580-   Interpretation of words to be gender-neutral. With regard to the rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of persons set forth under this chapter, all gender-specific terminology, such as "husband", "wife", "mother", "father", "aunt", "uncle", "niece", "nephew", or similar terms, shall be construed in a gender-neutral manner. This rule of interpretation shall apply to all administrative rules adopted hereunder."

SECTION 3. Section 578-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§578-1 Who may adopt; jurisdiction; venue. Any [proper] unmarried adult person[, not married,] or any person married to the legal [father or mother] parent of a minor child, or a [husband and wife] married couple jointly, may petition the family court of the circuit in which the person or persons reside or are in military service or the family court of the circuit in which the individual to be adopted resides or was born or in which a child placing organization approved by the department of human services under the provisions of section 346-17 having legal custody (as defined in section 571-2) of the child is located, for leave to adopt an individual toward whom the person or persons do not sustain the legal relationship of parent and child and for a change of the name of the individual. When adoption is the goal of a permanent plan recommended by the department of human services and ordered pursuant to section 587A-31, the department may petition for adoption on behalf of the proposed adoptive parents. The petition shall be in [such] a form and shall include [such] information and exhibits as may be prescribed by the family court."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on March 22, 2075.

Report Title:

Gender-Neutral Terminology; Statutory Interpretation; Parents; Spouses; Adoption; Divorce

Description:

Requires gender-specific terminology used in adoption and divorce matters to be construed in a gender-neutral manner. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.