STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2313

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2369

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Labor and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2369 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide emergency, nonrecurring, benefits for victims of domestic or sexual violence and to expand current provisions for unemployment insurance, emergency leaves of absence, and insurance protections.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by three private organizations and two individuals.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by three state agencies.  Comments on this measure were submitted by two private organizations.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that a devastating financial impact can result to victims of domestic or sexual violence if they are out of work for an extended period of time or have to take an unpaid leave of absence from work as a result of the domestic or sexual violence.  Your Committees also find that it is imperative that certain laws be improved to better assist the victims of domestic or sexual violence with any unexpected monetary crisis that may arise during such a difficult time.

 

     Your Committees further find that in light of a number of legitimate concerns raised in the hearing about this measure and taking into account the increase in reported incidents of domestic violence, that may in part be due to the current economic climate, your Committees voted to pass this measure out to encourage further discussion regarding this important matter.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on this measure; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2369, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2369, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor and Human Services,

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair