STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1821

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 302

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 302, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Civil Rights Commission

G.M. No. 302

CORAL WONG PIETSCH, for a term to expire 6-30-2011,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Upon review of the application and resume submitted by nominee Coral Wong Pietsch, your Committee notes the following qualifications:

     Coral Wong Pietsch is the Senior Civilian Counsel for the United States Army Pacific Command where she oversees the personnel and labor law practice.  She is responsible for the training of staff on equal employment opportunity and affirmative action issues and the development and implementation of affirmative action plans.  Ms. Pietsch served for five years as the Labor Counselor for the United States Army Support Command Hawaii where she trained managers and supervisors on Title VII, the Civil Rights Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1978, and the prevention of sexual harassment.  She also served for six years as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Hawaii.  She received a Juris Doctorate from the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.  In addition, Ms. Pietsch was a Senior Executive Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.  She has been recognized as the first female General Officer of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, and the first Asian American female to reach the rank of Brigadier General in the Army Reserve.  Locally, Ms. Pietsch was honored as the 2002 Woman Lawyer of the Year by the Hawaii Women Lawyers Association and was the 2002 recipient of the Organization of Chinese Americans Pioneer Award.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Ms. Pietsch from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, a Commissioner with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, the Hawaii Employers Council, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Hawaii Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, and one individual. Testimony in support of Ms. Pietsch focused on her experience and accomplishments as the Chair of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to Ms. Pietsch from The African-American Lawyers Association, a member of the law firm Park Park Yu & Remillard, and two individuals.  Testimony opposing Ms. Pietsch focused on the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission's recent proposal to make it more difficult for employees to file sexual harassment suits against their employers by changing Hawaii Administrative Rules Sections 12-46-175(d) and 12-46-108(c). 

     Upon review of all the testimony, your Committee finds that the nominee has the experience and knowledge necessary to effectively serve on the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.     

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair