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Home My WebLink AboutMIN GOEAC 2023/02/21 (2022-2024) Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs 4th Session West Hawaii Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawaii February 21, 2023 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Governmental Operations and ORDER: External Affairs was called to order at 9:04 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Kailua-Kona, by Ms. Cindy Evans, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Cindy Evans, Chair Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Vice Chair Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Member(came in later) Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member(via videoconference from Hilo) Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member(via videoconference from Hilo) Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member Absent& Excused: Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: The following individuals registered to speak and came forward when called by the Chair: Kristie Duarte: Res. 57-23 (Comm. 104), in support. Rachel Curnel Struempf: Res. 57-23 (Comm. 104), comment. Ki`i Kahoohanohano: Res. 57-23 (Comm. 104), comment. Pahnelopi McKenzie: Res. 57-23 (Comm. 104), in support. GOEAC-4 February 21,2023 COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 10.1: HAWAII STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES' NOVEMBER 22 AND DECEMBER 15, 2022, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES From Council Member Heather L. Kimball, dated January 24, 2023. Vote on Comm. 10.1: Ms. Lee Loy moved to close file on Comm. 10.1. Filed Seconded by Ms. Galimba and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Chair Evans —8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder— 1. Excused: None. ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, Order RESOLUTIONS: of Resolutions. Res. 57-23: URGES THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO AMEND CHAPTER 457J, HAWAII REVISED STATUES, RELATING TO MIDWIVES, TO PERMANENTLY EXEMPT BIRTH ATTENDANTS FROM STATE LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS AND TO EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR MIDWIFERY LICENSURE Supports the passage of Senate Bill No. 1047 and House Bill No. 955. Reference: Comm. 104 Intr. by: Ms. Kagiwada and Ms. Kierkiewicz Motion to Approve: Ms. Kagiwada moved to recommend adoption of Res. 57-23. Seconded by Ms. Kierkiewicz. CHR. EVANS: Council Members, any discussion? MS. KAGIWADA: Yes, Chair. Thank you. Just looking for your support on this resolution. You heard the testimony. It's pretty clear that we have places, especially on this Island that are far away from healthcare, and it's not easy for people to necessarily reach our hospitals when they are giving birth. You probably also heard the second concern, it's just making sure that some of our indigenous practices, practices culturally relevant to those giving birth are available to people at a time when it's extremely important to them. Page 2 GOEAC-4 February 21,2023 I'll just say, personally, I had a midwife at both of my children's birth and it was fantastic, and I really hope we can all get on board here. And I'll turn it over to Council Member Kierkiewicz if she wants to add anything. Thank you, Chair. CHR. EVANS: Thank you. So, Member Kierkiewicz, do you have any comments? MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair Evans. Yes, thank you, and mahalo nui, Council Member Kagiwada for inviting me to co-introduce this resolution with you. You know, midwifery provides a holistic women-centered approach to childbearing and birthing, which we all know is such a gift. In rural communities such as Puna and Ka`u, access to quality maternal care is really not easily accessible. Women have to drive hours to access care, and I've heard of many stories when women are having to give birth in their cars on the side of the road. And that's certainly not what they want when they're trying to bring their child into this world. So, we know that midwives help to fill in that gap and play a really integral role in maternity care, as they provide moms and families with a choice in where she wants to have her baby and with who. And choice really matters, most especially today when our heart-fought rights as women are being chipped away at and challenged at every turn. So,just asking all of our colleagues to join Council Member Kagiwada and me in adopting this resolution. I'm also tracking bills online, HB (House Bill) 955, which we are supporting via this resolution, has made it through Committees, but has yet to be scheduled with Finance. So, the next thing that we all can be doing is emailing Chair(Kyle) Yamashita, in requesting that he schedule a hearing on this. Thank you, Chair, I yield. CHR. EVANS: Thank you. Any other member? Yes, Member Villegas. MS. VILLEGAS: Thank you. Thank you, Council Members Kagiwada and Kierkiewicz, for bringing this forth and highlighting this issue. Hopefully, the passing of this resolution, which indicates our County Council support of what has the potential to pass within the State Legislature. I also had a homebirth with a midwife and a naturopathic doctor. It was one of the most empowering experiences of my life. Also, at the time being a single mom, being surrounded by empowered, intelligent, capable women connected to the knowledge of our ancestors and our kupuna, was really—when you're becoming a mother and navigating that path of bringing life into the world; to have that support and that connectivity to your own inner ability and power was enlightening, painful, but also really just uplifting. Page 3 GOEAC-4 February 21,2023 The opportunity for the women who have been so brave to continue to navigate the path to ensuring that it remain legal for them to provide these services to one another is astounding and commendable. I am so grateful and really honored to support this resolution and really grateful this was brought forth. In a time when the autonomy of women's bodies and our ability to make decisions about our bodies and whether or not we want to have a child and how we want to have a child is being questioned in the highest courts in the land, I am so grateful to get to sit here today with my colleagues and support a resolution that would continue to ensure that the women on our Island get to continue to embrace that autotomy and empower themselves with those decisions. So, thank you again for that. I yield. CHR. EVANS: Council Member Galimba,please. MS. GALIMBA: Thank you. I am, of course, very much in support of women having choices and midwives as a choice. I just wanted to ask the authors of the resolution just for my own education, what the difference is between birth attendance and midwives, do you happen to know that? Thanks. MS. KAGIWADA: Well, I actually don't have a specific answer for you for that, but my understanding is that, right now, if this legislation does not get passed at the State level, almost all of our birth attendants and/or midwives will no longer be legal on this Island. So, you know, we want both. I don't know the specifics of that, and I'm sorry to say, really, I don't know if anybody else actually do. I mean, Council Member Kierkiewicz, I'm not sure if you have that information at your fingertips? This was just something that I felt strongly about, but actually you know, this is not my background. So, I don't have the specifics on that. MS. GALIMBA: Okay, thanks. I can look it up myself then. Very supportive of midwives and enabling them to continue working. CHR. EVANS: Members, anymore discussion? Okay, if not, we'll take the vote. All in favor? Vote on Res. 57-23: The motion to recommend adoption of Res. 57-23 (Approved) was carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Chair Evans —8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder— 1. Excused: None. Page 4 GOEAC-4 February 21,2023 CHR. EVANS: With that, our committee is adjourned. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 9:29 a.m., Ms. Lee Loy moved to adjourn the MENT: meeting. Seconded by Mr. Inaba and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, Villegas, and Chair Evans— 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder— 1. Excused: None. CHR. EVANS: With that, we are adjourned at 9:29 a.m. Approved: 6�� /a 3 Ms. Cindy Evans, air (Date) Committee on Government Operations and External Affairs CE/dt Page 5