STAND. COM. REP. NO.  781-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2565

      S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2565, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to extend the deadline for the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission (HCRC) to complete its rulemaking process to conform state-law protections against disability discrimination to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), as required under Act 30, Special Session Laws of Hawaii, 2009 (Act 30).

 

     HCRC, the Disability and Communication Access Board, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.

 

     Act 30 required HCRC to adopt administrative rules to conform state disability discrimination laws to federal law.  However, HCRC has been notified that the United States Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (USEEOC), the agency authorized to promulgate federal regulations implementing ADAAA, has not completed its rulemaking process and is unlikely to do so prior to July 1, 2010.  As a result, it would be impossible for HCRC to comply with the requirements of Act 30.  Because of this delay by USEEOC, your Committee finds that providing HCRC with additional time to complete its rulemaking process is necessary.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2565, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair