STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1275

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 982

       H.D. 3

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 982, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY LEAVE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a data collection system to collect and analyze data on the uses of family leave benefits by public and private sector employees.

     Your Committee received five written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that as Hawaii's population ages, there will be a greater need for employees to use family leave benefits to care for older family members that have special needs.  Your Committee believes that creating a data collection tool to capture existing data on the use of family leave benefits will be helpful in developing an efficient family leave system for employees in Hawaii.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the:

     (1)  Amount of the appropriation to $1; and

     (2)  Effective date to July 1, 2050,

to facilitate further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 982, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 982, H.D. 3, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair