STAND. COM. REP. NO. 807

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 825
                                        S.D. 2




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.B.
No. 825, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BREASTFEEDING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide a positive
environment at the workplace for breastfeeding mothers.

     Specifically, this measure establishes an income tax credit
for employers who provide a specific place for the sole purpose
of breastfeeding or expressing milk.  Additionally, this measure
requires employers to provide up to at least one hour of unpaid
leave per working day for the sole purpose of breastfeeding or
expressing milk.  This measure also protects breastfeeding by
defining employment-based restrictions as a discriminatory
employment practice.

     Your Committee recognizes that breastmilk is an important
part of a child's early life.  Breastmilk provides all the
nutrients and helpful antibodies needed to protect a child from a
number of chronic diseases.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by allowing rather
than requiring the employer to provide up to an hour off to an

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 807
                                   Page 2


employee for breastfeeding or expressing milk and making other
technical nonsubstantive amendments.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
825, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third
Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 825, S.D. 2.

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



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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