STAND. COM. REP. NO. 812-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2171
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
2171, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEAL BREAKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to enhance productivity in the
workplace by mandating employers to provide a rest or meal break
of:

     (1)  At least thirty consecutive minutes; or

     (2)  Two breaks of at least fifteen consecutive minutes,

for employees who work more than six consecutive hours, unless a
collective bargaining agreement or company policy otherwise
contains provisions for these employee breaks.  This measure
would not apply to employees with duties that entail providing
health, transportation, or public safety services.

     The ILWU Local 142, Kapiolani Health, the Healthy Mothers
Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, and several individuals
testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Public
Safety submitted testimony in support of the intent of this
measure.

     The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Legislative
Information Services of Hawaii, the Hawaii Hotel Association, the
Hawaii Business League, and Ogden Energy Group opposed this

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 812-00
                                 Page 2

 
measure.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and
the Hawaii State AFL-CIO submitted comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2171, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair