HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	9
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

Recognizing the need to reach out to hawaii women and engage them in the political process.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, women are an important and significant force in Hawaii and it is in the best interest of the State to empower and actively engage them in the political process; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Patsy T. Mink Political Action Committee recently surveyed six hundred seventy-one women in Hawaii eligible to vote, and found that seventy-two per cent of women are more concerned with issues that directly affect their families and everyday life than participating in the political process and engaging in larger social and economic issues; and

 

     WHEREAS, the survey also found that the lack of interest and participation in public affairs by women stems from a variety of causes, including a limited knowledge about or interest in the candidates, apathy, and a general distrust of the system, which is perceived as flawed and corrupt; and

 

     WHEREAS, a majority of the survey respondents have never contacted an elected official to express their concerns and a mere four per cent of those women believe that their concerns would be taken seriously if they were voiced; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is crucial for the State to engage women who feel disenfranchised and to assure them their voices are being heard; and

 

     WHEREAS, women would be more likely to engage in government if elected officials focused on issues most important to them, including the high cost of living, higher quality education, affordable housing, and more job opportunities; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-Sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, that this body requests the Legislature to encourage women to take active roles in public life, including business and government, and to provide the support for women to fully participate by recognizing the need for educational opportunities and family care; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature is requested to involve women more fully in the policymaking process, including playing an important leadership role in the planning and execution of legislative priorities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature is requested to focus on the issues shown to be important to women, issues that directly impact the everyday lives of all women, including the high cost of living, higher quality education, affordable housing, and more job opportunities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairperson and the Executive Director of the Hawaii State Commission on Status of Women, and the Chairperson of the Patsy T. Mink Political Action Committee.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Engaging Women in the Political Process