REPORT TITLE:
Disaster Relief


DESCRIPTION:
Authorizes paid leave for state employees responding to disasters
for the American Red Cross.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           2171
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF. 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Chapter 79, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 2 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 3 read as follows:
 
 4      "§79-    Paid leave for state employees providing disaster
 
 5 relief services for the American Red Cross.  (a)  The State may
 
 6 grant an employee who is a certified American Red Cross disaster
 
 7 volunteer up to thirty days of paid leave of absence to perform
 
 8 disaster relief services for the American Red Cross when a
 
 9 disaster has been:
 
10      (1)  Designated as level III or higher by the American Red
 
11           Cross regulations;
 
12      (2)  Officially declared by the President of the United
 
13           States; or
 
14      (3)  Declared a state of emergency by the governor;
 
15 provided that the employee has prior authorization from the State
 
16 and the leave of absence imposes no undue hardship on state
 
17 operations.
 
18      (b)  Employees granted leaves of absence pursuant to this
 
19 section shall be paid at their regular rates of pay for those
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2171
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 regular hours during which the employees are absent from work,
 
 2 without loss of seniority, pay, vacation, sick leave, or earned
 
 3 overtime accumulations.
 
 4      (c)  Except as provided in section 127-7, the State shall
 
 5 not be liable for workers' compensation claims arising from
 
 6 accident or injury while the employee is on assignment as a 
 
 7 certified American Red Cross disaster service volunteer."
 
 8      SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
 9      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
10 
 
11                       INTRODUCED BY:  ___________________________