STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2005

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2171
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Environment, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2171 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to authorize paid leave for
state employees responding to disasters for the American Red
Cross.

     Testimony in support of the measure was received from the
Department of Defense, Hawaii Nurses' Association, Healthcare
Association of Hawaii, and the American Red Cross - Hawaii State
Chapter. 

     Your Committee finds that state employees participating in
disaster relief in-state are deemed to be engaging in the
performance of their ordinary duties and are therefore
compensated.  However, when responding to disasters out-of-state
as Red Cross volunteers, state employees are not compensated.
Due to the rarity of disasters in Hawaii, volunteers often need
to go out-of-state to acquire field experience.  Currently, state
employee volunteers must go without pay or use vacation time when
responding to out-of-state disasters.  Thus, paid leave will
remove the financial constraint and provide an incentive for
state employees to volunteer for the American Red Cross in out-
of-state disasters and simultaneously acquire invaluable field
experience.  In the event of a state disaster, Hawaii benefits

 
a                                                     SB2171
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2005
                                   Page 2


from experienced Red Cross volunteers in the form of timely
response and preparation.

     Your Committee on Labor and Environment respectfully
requests that the Committee on Ways and Means consider whether
county employees should be granted similar leave.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Environment that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2171 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and
                                   Environment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BOB NAKATA, Chair

 
a                                                     SB2171