Appropriates an unspecified amount for an investigator, legal assistant, and attorney mediation coordinator positions for fiscal year 2006-2007. (SD2)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Section 1. The legislature finds that the Hawaii civil rights commission currently carries a caseload of three hundred sixty complaints under investigation, with three hundred seventy to four hundred fifty new complaints filed annually. The legislature further finds that the Hawaii civil rights commission has taken steps to reduce the length of time necessary for the completion of the investigation of a complaint from three years to two years, and eventually to eighteen months. The Hawaii civil rights commission staffs four enforcement attorneys, each assigned an average of twenty-five cases. Efforts to handle this caseload have been hampered in the recent past due to the termination of all student employment. A successful program implemented by the Hawaii civil rights commission, the voluntary mediation program, also has been hindered due to a lack of staff support.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for three positions: an investigator, a legal assistant, and an attorney mediation coordinator, in order to provide necessary support to the Hawaii civil rights commission.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the establishment of one full-time investigator IV position (1.00 FTE), one full-time legal assistant position (1.00 FTE), and one attorney mediation coordinator (1.00 FTE) at the Hawaii civil rights commission.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.