STAND. COM. REP. NO.  351

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1480

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1480 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide increased protections for persons with disabilities from discrimination in employment by conforming state law to recently enacted federal laws that strengthen protections against disability discrimination in employment.

     A concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Disability and Communication Access Board and Hawaii Civil Rights Commission supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Human Services submitted comments.

     Hawaii has had a long-standing policy to protect against discrimination in the workplace, including discrimination based upon a person's disability and has, in many respects, provided protections stronger than federal law.  However, in 2005, federal law was amended to address certain Supreme Court decisions that Congress found interpreted definitions of disability inconsistently with legislative intent.  This bill conforms state law with these recent changes to federal law.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1480 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair