STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1243

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 32

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 32, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY LEAVE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend the deadline for the Legislative Reference Bureau to submit the sunrise analysis required by Act 109, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, from September 1, 2019, to November 13, 2019.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Women's Coalition, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Hawaii Children's Action Network, PHOCUSED, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Legislative Reference Bureau, and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 109, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018 (Act 109), directed the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a sunrise analysis to determine the impacts of the establishment of a paid family leave program on industry, consumers, employees, employers, and caregivers.  The intent of Act 109 was to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a paid family leave framework that will enable all employees to access leave benefits during times when they need to provide care for a family member.  Your Committee further finds that the Legislative Reference Bureau issued a request for proposals to conduct the analysis, then found that it was in the best interest of the State to cancel the request.  Your Committee also finds that due to the cancelation of the original request for proposals, it would be difficult, given the current timeframe, for the Legislative Reference Bureau to sufficiently conduct and provide a thorough and concise analysis by the September 1, 2019, submission deadline.  This measure would allow the Legislative Reference Bureau additional time to submit its analysis.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

 

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 32, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 32, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

 

 

 

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair