STAND. COM. REP. NO. 426-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1576

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1576 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER, PLUS COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission within the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, Rainbow Family 808, Common Cause Hawaii, and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus (LGBTQ+) community are vulnerable, often discriminated against, and have needs that are unknown or overlooked. Therefore, establishing a commission to identify and address the risks and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community would be instrumental in supporting equity for this community.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1576, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1576, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair