Grrrl Power!

Since it's Girl's Day, we thought we'd highlight the 2008 Women's Legislative Caucus package. The Women's Caucus is bi-partisan and advocates for legislation that supports the needs of women and families.

In the House, 18 out of 51 members are women, and they are: Karen Awana, Della Au Belatti, Lyla Berg, Rida Cabanilla, Mele Carroll, Corinne Ching, Cindy Evans, Lynn Finnegan, Faye Hanohano, Sharon Har, Marilyn Lee, Sylvia Luke, Barbara Marumoto, Colleen Meyer, Hermina Morita, Kymberly Pine, Maile Shimabukuro, and Cynthia Thielen. The Senate is led by Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, and 7 of 25 members are women. In addition to Madame President, they are: Rosalyn Baker, Suzanne Chun Oakland, Carol Fukunaga, Lorraine Inouye, Donna Mercado Kim, Jill Tokuda.

Here's what's alive in the Women's Legislative Caucus package:

HB464, HD2 and companion SB1117. Medically accurate sex education. Requires recipients of state funding that provide sexual health education to provide medically accurate, factual information that is age-appropriate and includes education on both abstinence and contraception.

HB466, HD1 and companion SB1110. Emergency contraception. Requires a hospital, including a public health facility, to provide information and emergency contraception to a sexual assault victim; requires training; includes penalties.

HB2761, HD1 and companion SB2207. Post-partum care for QUEST participants. Requires at least 6 months post-partum and interconception care for women of childbearing age who are participants in the Hawaii QUEST health insurance program.

HB2763, HD1 and companion SB2211. Task Force for children of incarcerated parents. Re-establishes the children of incarcerated parents task force, which ceased to exist on December 31, 2007. Appropriates funds.

HB2766, HD2 and companion SB2218. Electronic monitoring of domestic abuse and TRO violators. Allows the courts to require electronic monitoring of persons convicted of violating a domestic abuse temporary restraining order or protective order. Appropriates funds for offenders who cannot afford to pay for costs associated with the monitoring device.

HB2770, HD1 and companion SB2214. Bridge to Hope program. Expands the Bridge to Hope Program to enable all heads of households receiving financial assistance and participating in the First-to-Work Program to pursue education beyond the federal limit of one-year of vocational education.

HB2772, HD3. Human trafficking. Extends the sunset date for the Hawaii Anti-trafficking Task Force to 2010. Amends composition of the Task Force. Appropriates funds.

HCR51 and companions HR50, SR14 and SCR20. Cervical cancer vaccinations. REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ASSESS THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF REQUIRING CERVICAL CANCER VACCINATIONS FOR GIRLS BEFORE THEY ENTER THE SEVENTH GRADE.

And here's what died:

HB2762, HD1 and companion SB2208. Rental housing eviction protection. Prohibits a landlord from evicting a rental housing tenant solely on the basis that the tenant is a victim of domestic violence.

HB2764, HD1 and companion SB2209. Bill of Rights for children of incarcerated parents.

HB2765, HD1. Sexual exploitation of a minor. Companion SB2212 is alive.

HB2767 and companion SB2216. Pilot project for prostitution prevention program.

HB2768 and companion SB2213. Advisory Board on Veterans' Services.

HB2769. Country of origin labeling for meat. Companion SB2215 is alive.

HB2771 and companion SB2210. Bridge to Hope eligibility requirements.

HB2773 and companion SB2217. DNA collection on arrested felons.

HB2774. Post-pregnancy care for QUEST participants. Companion SB2219 is alive.