STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2419

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2670

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2670 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission and the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission Trust Fund; and

(2) Require each county mayor to appoint a county committee on the status of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus affairs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Common Cause Hawaii, North Shore Ko‘olau Diversity Collective, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Americans for Democratic Action Hawai‘i, Hawaii Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, and fifteen individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Budget and Finance, and Harm Reduction Hawaii.

Your Committees find that individuals of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus community are at elevated risks of bullying, suicide, and ostracism. Addressing the needs of these individuals who experience multiple forms of marginalization will lend to a better understanding of the risks and challenges they face and support greater intervention and prevention efforts in the State. Establishing the Commission is an effective means of researching, planning, and advocating for the equity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus community in Hawai‘i.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have established a Trust Fund;

(2) Adding a general fund appropriation for the purposes of the Commission; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2670, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2670, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair