STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1677

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 64
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred
S.C.R. No. 64, S.D. 1, entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A HAWAII STATE LAW
     ON EMPLOYMENT OF SEVERELY HANDICAPPED PERSONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Commission on
Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Human Services'
Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division,
and the Department of Human Resources Development to meet and
conduct a comprehensive review of Hawaii state law on the public
employment of severely handicapped persons.

     This measure also requests that a severely handicapped
person and a family member of a severely handicapped person be
included in the meetings to consider their perspectives.  The
measure requests that a report of findings and recommendations be
submitted to the Legislature before the next regular legislative
session.  The review is requested to include consideration of
whether Hawaii law is still relevant in light of recent federal
laws and whether the State should mirror the federal law and
allow disabled employees to achieve civil service status after
six months of employment rather than retain the exempt status
under current law.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1677
                                   Page 2


     Your Committee finds that the passage of the Americans with
Disabilities Act may have established regulations and guidelines
for hiring or employing disabled individuals that may be
inconsistent with current Hawaii law.  Your Committee finds that
this comprehensive review is an appropriate management policy in
the interest of equity for severely handicapped individuals
seeking public employment. 

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 64,
S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
a                                                     SCR64 SD1