The following are the status of several key bills that were introduced into the 2006 Hawaii Legislative Session.

HR 108 HD1                           Requesting a Study on Bioprospecting

Status: This resolution has passed the Legislature.  It is now a ongoing study.

HCR 146 HD1                        Requesting a Study on Bioprospecting

Status: This concurrent resolution has passed the Legislature.  It is now a ongoing study.

HB 236 HD1                           Medically Accurate Sex Education

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

Status: This bill passed the House Health Committee unamended.  It passed the House Finance amended.  It has passed in the House.

SB 467 SD1 HD2                    Female parity in Corrections

Status: This bill passed the Senate Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee amended.  It has passed in the Senate.  In the House, it has passed both the Judiciary Committee and the Finance Committee amended.

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

Status: This bill has passed the House Labor and Public Employment Committee unamended.  In the Senate, it has passed the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee and the Ways and Means Committee unamended.  This bill has been transmitted to the Governor.

HB 1713 HD1 SD2                 Clean Elections

Status: This bill has passed the House Judiciary Committee with amendment and the House Finance Committee unamended.  It has passed in the House.  In the Senate, It has passed the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee with an amendment and has passed with Ways and Means Committee without an amendment.

Supported Bills

SB 475 SD2 HD1                    Welfare Payments, Standard of Need

Status: Passed the Senate Human Services Committee and Ways and Means Committee with an amendment.  It has passed in the Senate.  It passed the House Human Services Committee with an amendment.

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.

Status: Passed the House Human Services Committee amended, passed the House Finance Committee unamended.  The bill passed in the House.  In the Senate, it has passed in the Human Services Committee with an amendment and in the Ways and Means committee unamended.

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.

Status: Passed the House Finance Committee with amendment.

HB 957 HD1 SD1                   Earned Income Tax Credit

                                                            Provides for a state earned income tax credit.

Status: Passed House Finance with amendment.  It passed in the Senate Ways and Means Committee with amendment.

SB 1410 SD1 HD1                  Earned Income Tax Credit- Companion to HB 957 HD1 SD1

Status: This bill passed the Senate Ways and Means Committee and passed the Senate.  In the House, it passed the Finance Committee with an amendment.

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.

Status: This bill passed the House Labor and Public Employment Committee and Finance Committee with amendment.  It passed in the House.  In the Senate it passed the Labor Committee with an amendment.

SB 128 SD1 HD1                    Medical Marijuana

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

Status: In the Senate, it passed the Health Committee and the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee unamended.  It passed the Ways and Means Committee with an amendment.  In the House, it passed the Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee with an amendment and the Judiciary Committee unamended.

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

Status: In the Senate, it has passed the Senate it has passed the Health Committee with an amendment and the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs has waived the bill.

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.

Status: In the House, it has passed the Judiciary and the Finance Committees with an amendment.  It passed in the House.  In the Senate, it has passed the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee with an amendment and the Ways and Means Committee with no amendment.