Bill Text: HI SCR103 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Feasibility of Condom Access On Campus; Task Force

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-16 - (S) Referred to EDU/HMS. [SCR103 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SCR103-Introduced.html

THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

103

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the superintendent of education to establish a task force to assess the possibility of allowing access to condoms on school campuses in hawaii.

 

 


     WHEREAS, the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health's "2009 Hawaii Youth Risk Behavior Survey" indicated the following among high school students:

 

     (1)  Forty-four percent have had sexual intercourse;

 

     (2)  Six percent had sexual intercourse for the first time before the age of thirteen;

 

     (3)  Eleven percent had sexual intercourse with four or more persons during their life;

 

     (4)  Thirty-one percent had sexual intercourse with at least one person during the three months prior to taking the survey; and

 

     (5)  Fifty-two percent of those who were sexually active at the time of taking the survey did not use a condom during their last sexual intercourse; and

 

     WHEREAS, teenage pregnancy can disrupt families and is linked with lower educational attainment and lower economic well-being of parents and their children; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 321-11.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires that "[s]exuality health education programs funded by the State shall provide medically accurate and factual information that is age appropriate and includes education on abstinence, contraception, and methods of disease prevention to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, including human immunodeficiency virus"; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's education policy also states that "the distribution of condoms and other prophylactic devices to students shall be prohibited in the classroom, on the school campus, or at any school-related activities"; and

 

     WHEREAS, findings that were published in the Journal of American Medical Association of the program evaluation of the Hawaii Youth Services Network adaptation of Making Proud Choices!, an evidence-based curriculum for young adolescents ages 11-13 on sexually transmitted diseases, human immunodeficiency virus, and pregnancy prevention, show that program participants reported more consistent and higher frequency use of condoms and less unprotected sex; and

 

     WHEREAS, data indicates that increasing access to condoms would effectively reduce the rate of teenage pregnancies, which is greater than the national average, and sexually transmitted diseases among Hawaii's youth; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's youth have expressed the need for more materials and school curriculum to emphasize the prevention of teenage pregnancy prevention items, such as condoms; and

 

     WHEREAS, a task force chaired by the Superintendent of Education and made up of the representatives from the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, the Board of Education, and various members of the education and youth services community would be in the best position to assess the possibility of allowing access to condoms on school campuses; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Superintendent of Education is requested to establish a task force to assess the possibility of allowing access to condoms on school campuses; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force, with the Superintendent of Education as Chair, include:

 

     (1)  One representative from the Department of Human Services;

 

     (2)  One representative from the Department of Health;

 

     (3)  One representative from the Board of Education; and

 

     (4)  Six representatives from the education and youth services community, three of which shall be selected by the Senate President and three of which shall be selected by the Speaker of the House; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to address the following issues as part of its assessment:

 

     (1)  At what age or grade level should condom access be allowed;

 

     (2)  Who should be authorized to distribute condoms;

 

     (3)  What training, if any, should be required regarding condom use;

 

     (4)  Whether condom access should be accompanied by literature or education on family planning and sexually transmitted diseases and infections;

 

     (5)  Where condom distribution should take place; and

 

     (6)  Whether parents should be notified if school personnel provide condoms to children; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall not receive compensation for their service but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, if any, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2013; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be dissolved on June 30, 2013; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and President of the Hawaii State PTSA.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Feasibility of Condom Access On Campus; Task Force

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