STAND. COM. REP. NO. 35

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 691

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 691 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIQUOR COMMISSION EMPLOYEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to permit Liquor Commission employees to support, advocate, or aid in the election or defeat of any candidate for public office.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one organization.

     Your Committee finds that like other State and county employees, Liquor Commission employees, when off-duty, should be permitted to participate in various lawful political activities, such as advocating or assisting in the election or defeat of a candidate for public office, without written notification to their respective Liquor Commission.  Your Committee also notes that like other public employees, during work hours, the restrictions on political activities set forth in chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the ethics law, continue to apply to Liquor Commission employees.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 691 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

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

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair