STAND. COM. REP. NO. 424-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2249

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 Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2249 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education and State Public Charter School Commission to provide hygiene products that support public health, including toilet paper, menstrual products, and hand soap, free of charge to all students on public and charter school campuses; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the hygiene products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, State Public Charter School Commission, Department of Human Services, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Common Cause Hawaii, ‘Ilima Intermediate Activist Club, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, Breastfeeding Hawaii, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Hawaii Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, Ma‘i Movement Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Community Alliance on Prisons, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Soroptimist International of Central Oahu, Alliance for Period Supplies, Hawaii Women Lawyers, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Parents and Children Together, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the lack of access to menstrual products in schools limits full participation in school, contributes to higher rates of school absenteeism and missed activities, and perpetuates gender and class inequities. Your Committee further finds that lack of adequate quality menstrual products leads to extended use of products beyond the recommended time or use of alternatives, which has a direct and negative impact on student health. This measure will promote menstrual equity by providing all necessary hygiene products, including menstrual products, to all students, free of charge, on all public and charter school campuses.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2249, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2249, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair