Establishes a preference under the procurement code for employers who pledge to hire persons with disabilities when contracting for goods, services, or construction. (SD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Section 103D-1009, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§103D-1009[]] Preference for qualified community rehabilitation programs[.]; bidders employing persons with disabilities. (a) When a governmental body contracts for services, a five per cent preference shall be given to [services to be provided by] nonprofit corporations or public agencies operating qualified community rehabilitation programs in conformance with criteria established by the department of labor and industrial relations pursuant to chapter 91[;], or a responsive and responsible offeror that employs persons with disabilities; provided that contracts awarded [under this section] to nonprofit corporations or public agencies operating qualified community rehabilitation programs shall be exempt from the wages provision of section 103-55.

(b) The department of human services shall establish a registry of persons with disabilities who are work-ready, which responsive and responsible offerors may employ.

(c) The policy board shall adopt rules under chapter 91 to establish the [preference for nonprofit corporations or public agencies operating qualified community rehabilitation programs] procedures consistent with this section.

(d) For purposes of this section, "individual with disabilities" means any individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, including an individual who has been determined to be disabled or suffer disability by the department of human services; the department of health, the vocational rehabilitation and services for the blind division; or a private physician."

SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.