STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3553

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 14

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Judiciary, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 14 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE MEMBERS OF HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO MONITOR THE ALLIANCE FOR HIPPOCRATIC MEDICINE V. U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND TAKE ACTION TO LIMIT THE CASE FROM FURTHER RESTRICTING ACCESS TO SAFE ABORTION OPTIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation to monitor the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration supreme court case and take action to limit the case from further restricting access to safe abortion options.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from AlohaCare, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Women's Caucus, and two individuals.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals.

Your Committees find that preserving access to safe and legal reproductive care is a vital public health objective for the State. Access to abortion medication like mifepristone gives health care providers an additional method of providing a safe and effective abortion treatment to their patients. Your Committees further find that the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine et al v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, et al, is a case moving through the federal court system that involves plaintiffs seeking to overturn the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone, which could effectively ban the drug nationwide even in states where abortion is legal. This measure urges the State's congressional delegation to implement proactive measures to counteract the effect of any further restrictions on abortion medication, which will protect personal autonomy and access to reproductive care for residents of the State.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 14 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair