Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1352 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to entitle state and county employees to seven days of paid leave per year if they are bone marrow donors, and thirty days of paid leave if they are organ donors.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Resources Development, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, the Transplant Association of Hawaii, and twenty-seven individuals. The Department of Human Resources Development submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure, but also raised concerns with the measure as introduced.

Your Committee finds that the number of individuals in need of organ and bone marrow transplants far outnumbers the available number of organs and living organ donors. Every day, approximately fifteen Americans will die while awaiting a transplant. In spite of continuing medical and technological advances and breakthroughs, more needs to be done to increase the supply of organs.

Your Committee further finds that under the federal law, in 1999, the Organ Donor Leave Act was enacted, which increased the amount of paid leave time that federal employees are permitted to take if they serve as organ donors to thirty days of paid leave, annually. Your Committee supports and encourages individuals who choose to bravely and generously serve as organ and bone marrow donors throughout the State and wishes to provide its public employees with adequate leave time in order to serve in this capacity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1352 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.