STAND. COM. REP. NO.784

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 1240

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1240, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC CONTRACTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require government contractors to provide their employees with a specified minimum wage and a specified minimum number of days of compensated and unpaid leave of absence.

Specifically, this bill sets the minimum hourly wage on public contracts at $9.43. This bill also requires that public contract employees be granted each year at least twelve days of compensated leave and at least ten days of uncompensated leave.

Additionally, this measure authorizes those employees to bring a civil action against offending contractors, and empowers the State with contract enforcement tools.

Furthermore, this bill exempts food and beverage contracts from the requirements generally pertaining to the wages, hours, and working conditions of employees under a public contract. This bill also requires the Director of Finance to periodically monitor the bill's operation and effects.

Your Committee finds that this measure is necessary to raise and maintain the standard of living of workers on public contracts above the federal poverty level.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1240, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair