STAND. COM. REP. NO. 206

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 891

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 891 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Accounting and General Services to provide menstrual products at no cost in specified restrooms of public buildings maintained by that department.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services; Department of Human Services; one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; one member of the Kaua‘i County Council; Aloha Diaper Bank; Hawaii Diaper Bank; Rainbow Family 808; Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center; PERIOD, Inc.; Hawai‘i Student Care Resources; Pilina Center for Wellbeing; Hawai‘i Women's Coalition; Ma‘i Movement Hawai‘i; and forty-six individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees recognize the financial burden associated with menstruation when the lack of economic relief or easily accessible aid threatens the livelihood of menstruating persons. Your Committees believe that the provision of free menstrual products in public buildings would reduce health risks, alleviate the burden of period poverty, and protect the dignity of all menstruating people. Further, your Committees believe that establishing wider access to free menstrual products would help to ensure more inclusive and equitable access to public facilities, reduce barriers faced by residents and visitors to state buildings in meeting basic needs, and promote greater menstrual equity in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committees request that, should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, that the Department of Accounting and General Services provide that Committee with a suggested appropriation amount.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 891, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 891, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair