Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 23 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize paid leave for state and county employees who participate in disaster relief activities sanctioned by the American Red Cross.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the American Red Cross, and the Hawaii Nurses' Association. The Department of Human Resources Development opposed the passage of the measure.

Your Committees find that the measure would enable the Governor or the mayor of each county or their respective designees, to authorize state and county employees who are certified American Red Cross volunteers to take up to thirty days of paid leave to assist in American Red Cross sanctioned disaster relief efforts.

In order for paid leave to be authorized under the measure the disaster must be:

Your Committees believe that enabling the Governor and the mayors to grant paid leave to their certified American Red Cross volunteer employees in times of emergency is prudent and serves to promote volunteerism in times of grave need.

Your Committees have amended the measure by deleting a provision that absolves the State or counties of any workers' compensation liability that may be incurred while the volunteer/employee is assisting in American Red Cross disaster relief activities covered under the measure, since such coverage is already provided by statute or standards set forth in case law.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 23, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 23, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.