House Committee on Judiciary (JUD) - chair: Luke, vice chair: Oshiro

Thursday, February 23, 2006, 4:00 p.m. Room 325

Testifier: Jean Aoki

Click here to view HB1242

The League of Women Voters is in full support of H.B. 1242 which clarifies definition of abortion, repeals unconstitutional residency requirement, and permits abortions to be performed in clinics and physician’s offices. With so much progress in medical treatments and procedures, we agree that the language in Section 453-16, HRS is due for some amendment, to bring it up to date and commend the drafters of H.B. 1242. We have always applauded the 1978 Constitutional Convention for proposing many of the revisions to the Hawaii State Constitution which were then approved by our voters. A particularly farsighted revision was the addition of Section 6 to Article I of the state constitution. While the present Section 7 addresses the right of privacy in the criminal cases, Section 6 addresses privacy in the information and personal autonomy sense. With this right under assault by some groups nation-wide, we doubly appreciate the rights reserved for women by Section 6. We fully support the suggestion made by the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women that a statement be added that makes this right very clear. “The State may not deny nor interfere with a female’s right to choose or obtain an abortion prior to viability of the foetus or when the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the female.” We urge the passage of HB 1242. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on this very important bill.