STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3088

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2670

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2670, S.D. 1, 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 and intent of this measure is to improve the State's interface with members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus community.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission and provides for the commission's membership, powers, and duties;

(2) Establishes a committee on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus affairs in each county; and

(3) Appropriates moneys to establish and operate the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Pride @ Work – Hawaii, LGBTQ+ Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Rainbow Family 808, Common Cause Hawaii, North Shore Koolau Diversity Collective, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, AF3IRM Hawaii, Americans for Democratic Action, and eleven individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that the commission established by this measure will help the State identify and meet the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus community.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding one member to the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission to represent the Hawaii sexual and gender minority work group of the Department of Health;

(2) Requiring that the Governor appoint members of the commission that reflect the diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus community by including individuals from different lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus identities;

(3) Appropriating an unspecified sum of general funds to the counties to fulfill the State's obligation to share the cost of any new mandated program pursuant to Article VIII, section 5, of the Hawaii State Constitution;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(5) Making a technical nonsubstantive amendment for purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2670, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2670, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair