Requesting The Department Of Accounting And General Services, Department Of Land And Natural Resources, And The City And County Of Honolulu Department Of Parks And Recreation To Provide Universal Changing Accommodations In All State Facilities, State Parks, And City And County Parks.
SCR239 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution that requests the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation to provide universal changing accommodations in state facilities, state parks, and city and county parks. The resolution defines these accommodations as height-adjustable changing tables and related space intended to support people who need toileting assistance, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities.
The measure asks that at least one such accommodation be provided in each facility or park, specifically in at least one women’s restroom, one men’s restroom, and, where available, one family or gender-neutral restroom. The resolution frames the issue as one of access, safety, sanitation, privacy, and dignity for people who cannot use conventional or standard accessible restrooms.
Because SCR239 is a concurrent resolution rather than a bill, it does not directly amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes or create enforceable legal requirements. Instead, it expresses the Legislature’s request that DAGS, DLNR, and the City and County of Honolulu Parks and Recreation Department install universal changing accommodations in public facilities and parks. Its practical impact would be to encourage agencies and the city to plan, fund, and retrofit restrooms and park facilities to better serve people with disabilities and caregivers.
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution and the available vote is strongly supportive. The measure passed the Senate Government Operations committee 3-0 with amendments, indicating clear bipartisan or at least unanimous committee support for the underlying accessibility goal. The bill text itself uses emphatic equity and dignity language, suggesting the proposal is framed as a public access and civil rights issue rather than a controversial policy change.
The main points of contention are likely to be implementation-related rather than philosophical. Installing universal changing accommodations in existing facilities may raise questions about cost, space, renovation timelines, and which restrooms or parks should be prioritized first. Another possible issue is the resolution’s scope, which focuses on state facilities, state parks, and Honolulu city parks, leaving open whether similar accommodations should be required statewide across all counties and agencies. No explicit opposition appears in the provided materials.