THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            40
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

SUPPORTING THE HAWAII STATE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN.



 1       WHEREAS, the status of women is key to the condition,
 2   stability, and well-being of society; and
 3   
 4       WHEREAS, the contributions by women to the overall health
 5   of the national and state economy are significant.  Consider
 6   these facts:
 7   
 8       (1)  Women-owned businesses employ one in four Americans
 9            and contribute annually $2.3 trillion to the United
10            States economy; and
11   
12       (2)  Women make 80 percent of consumer decisions; and
13   
14       WHEREAS, women's dual commitment to family and work is a
15   fundamental function in the community, and therefore women's
16   concerns and perspectives in policy-making is key; and
17   
18       WHEREAS, on the celebrated occasion of the 80th anniversary
19   of women's suffrage in the United States, the majority of
20   voters nationwide are women; and
21   
22       WHEREAS, despite the impressive roles and functions of
23   women to the community, the situation of women is still cause
24   for concern.  Consider these facts:
25   
26       (1)  Two-thirds of the 60 million women who work outside of
27            the home do not have a pension plan and those that do
28            receive half as much as men;
29   
30       (2)  Roughly 40 percent of women over 65 years of age are
31            poor or almost poor as compared to less than 13
32            percent for men;
33   
34       (3)  Women of childbearing age (15-44) pay 68 percent more
35            in out-of-pocket health care costs than their male
36            counterparts;
37   

 
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 1       (4)  Domestic violence is now recognized as a leading cause
 2            of death for women ages 14-44 worldwide; and
 3   
 4       (5)  Nationally, 63 percent of women with children under
 5            the age of six work and 78 percent of women with
 6            children 6-17 are in the labor force (the percentages
 7            for Hawaii are much higher);
 8   
 9   and
10   
11       WHEREAS, advancing women's causes must continue for the
12   betterment of society; and
13   
14       WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women
15   (Commission) was established by the Governor by executive order
16   on May 15, 1964, to, among other things, coordinate research
17   planning, programming, and action on the opportunities, needs,
18   problems, and contributions of women in Hawaii in education,
19   homemaking, civil and legal rights, labor and employment, and
20   expanded community horizons; and
21   
22       WHEREAS, since its inception, the Commission has
23   consistently promoted the equality of women and gender equity
24   issues; and
25   
26       WHEREAS, the Commission's statutorily mandated functions
27   and responsibilities in the following areas include:
28   
29       (1)  Acting as a central clearinghouse and coordinating
30            body for governmental and nongovernmental activities
31            and information relating to the status of women;
32   
33       (2)  Accumulating, compiling, and publishing information
34            concerning instances of actual discrimination, and
35            discrimination in the law, against women;
36   
37       (3)  Cooperating with the Department of Labor and
38            Industrial Relations, other state departments and
39            agencies, and appropriate federal offices and agencies
40            in correcting unlawful employment practices in public
41            and private employment involving discrimination
42            because of sex;

 
 
 
 
 
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 1   
 2       (4)  Creating public awareness and understanding of the
 3            responsibilities, needs, potential, and contributions
 4            of women as homemakers, workers, and active
 5            participants in the community and the importance of
 6            each of these roles in society;
 7   
 8       (5)  Recommending legislative and administrative action on
 9            equal treatment and opportunities for women;
10   
11       (6)  Seeking improvements in educational and counseling
12            programs and policies to meet the needs of girls and
13            women to better prepare them for their roles in the
14            home and community;
15   
16       (7)  Encouraging a long-range program of education for
17            women of their political rights and responsibilities,
18            particularly with respect to their voting duties;
19   
20       (8)  Maintaining contacts with appropriate federal, state,
21            local, and international agencies concerned with the
22            status of women; and
23   
24       (9)  Cooperating with national groups on the status of
25            women and arranging for participation by
26            representatives of the State in White House
27            conferences and other national conferences;
28   
29   and
30   
31       WHEREAS, these key services are critical to the well-being
32   of the community at-large and essential in furthering social,
33   economic, and political equality for women; and
34   
35       WHEREAS, the Commission is integral to providing core
36   services and in educating, coordinating, and disseminating
37   information regarding women, family, and community issues
38   statewide; now, therefore,
39   
40       BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
41   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
42   Representatives concurring, that the Legislature supports the

 
 
 
 
 
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 1   existence and work of the Hawaii State Commission on the Status
 2   of Women; and
 3   
 4       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor allocate adequate
 5   funding to the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women
 6   so that it may be able to carry out its duties as mandated by
 7   law; and
 8   
 9       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
10   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the
11   Executive Director of the Commission on the Status of Women.
12 
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14 
15                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________