Mission Statement:  The Hawaii Women’s Coalition is a catalyst for progressive, social, economic, and political change through action on critical issues facing Hawaii’s Women.

The issues we support include, but are not limited to: reproductive freedom, prevention & intervention of violence against women including domestic violence and sexual assault; pay equity, including issues of comparable worth; welfare reform, tenants rights, “homelessness”, and support for poverty entitlement activities; and other civil and human rights.

The next Women's Coalition meeting is on Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 2pm. It will be held at the YWCA on Richards St.  Everyone is welcome and so are your ideas and opinions.

In 2005, the Hawaii Women's Coalition introduced a Women's Package to the Legislature.  The following are key issues and bills that we support.  If you are interested in knowing the status of these bills, please click on this link.

HR 108 HD1                           Requesting a Study on Bioprospecting

HCR 146 HD1                        Requesting a Study on Bioprospecting

HB 236 HD1                           Medically Accurate Sex Education

Requires medically accurate, factual information that is age-appropriate and includes education on both abstinence and contraception.

SB 467 SD2 HD2                    Female Parity in Corrections

HB 1240 HD1                         EC in the ERs

Requires hospitals to provide information on emergency contraception to sexual assault victims and provide emergency contraception when requested; requires training on sexual assault and emergency contraceptives to those who treat survivors.

HB 1241                                  Reproductive Freedom

Prohibits state interference with the right to abortion prior to viability of the fetus or when abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the female. Defines unauthorized abortion.

HB 1242                                  Hawaii’s Revised Abortion Statutes

Clarifies definition of abortion, repeals unconstitutional residency requirement, and permits abortions to be performed in clinics and physician’s offices.

HB 1305 HD1                         Equal Pay

HB 1713 HD1 SD2                 Clean Elections

Supported Bills

SB 475 SD2 HD1                    Welfare Payments, Standard of Need

HB 244 HD1 SD1                   Public Assistance, Presumptive Eligibility

This bill requires the Department of Health Services to recognize individuals who have not received a decision on their application for public assistance within 45 days to be presumptively eligible until a decision is made.

SB 1410 SD1 HD1                  Earned Income Tax Credit

Provides a refundable state earned income tax credit of 20% of the federal EITC.  It requires the refundable portion to be reimbursed by TANF of State TANF.

HB 957 HD1 SD1                   Earned Income Tax Credit

                                                                                Provides for a state earned income tax credit.

HB 338 HD2 SD1                   Meal Breaks

Requires the provision of rest or meal break periods of at least 30 consecutive minutes for employees who work five or more continuous hours, unless a collective bargaining agreement provides an express provision for meal breaks.

SB 128 SD1 HD1                    Medical Marijuana

Transfer administration of the Medical Marijuana Program to the Department of health, improves the program for patients.

SCR 197 SD1                          Requesting LRB to conduct a study on the appropriate placement of the medical marijuana program

HB 1393 HD2 SD1                 HSCSW

Transfers the Commission on the Status of Women from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to the Department of Human Services.