New law explained
In “Your Views” on Dec. 29, two letter writers commented on my bill that makes it a violation to misrepresent a dog as a service dog. This was following an informative article by Mike Brestovansky on Dec. 26 about the bill taking effect in January.
One writer seems to have completely missed the point. He says my bill “chastises service dogs” and makes life harder for the “blind and handicapped,” as he puts it. This is the exact opposite of the bill’s effect.
I will try to explain again, using smaller words this time, what the bill does and why.
This bill supports real service dogs and their owners and protects their rights by making it clear that only legit service dogs are welcome in all public places. That’s why the bill was widely supported by the disability community and service dog owners.
Interestingly, this bill did not get a single “no” vote in any committee or on the House or Senate floors. Like my bill to protect children from the neurotoxin chlorpyrifos, which also passed unanimously this year, it was a response to a real need in real people’s lives.
Thank you for allowing me to clarify.
State Sen. Russell E. Ruderman
Keaau
The cost of menstruation
I am a student from Hilo High. I would like to address the problem that tampons and pads are not free. I believe that tampons and pads should be free. We spend too much money on a natural thing that we can’t control.
It is estimated that menstruators spend about $60 per year for tampons and pads. That is $1,800 during the course of a lifetime. Also, count the cost of liners we have to buy in case of emergencies.
Some women get paid less, but women’s products cost more than men’s. Some women buy men’s razors because it’s more effective than the women’s razors, and they cost less. Studies found that products aimed at women cost more 42 percent of the time. Some of these products not only cost more than men’s, but they contain less of the product.
There is a thing called “shrink it and pink it,” where they make it smaller and more feminine looking. There are sales taxes on them like they are luxuries and not necessities. That is unfair because, like I said, no one asked to get periods. It’s a natural thing, and we should not be paying extra for a natural thing that happens to us.
Tampons and pads are not luxuries, but necessities. They should be free or, at least, not taxed. If not, women should get paid as much as men. Just saying.
Anyway, thank you for taking your time to read my letter, and I hope you consider my ideas.
Kathleen Balagot
Hilo