STAND. COM. REP. NO. 540

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 782

       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 Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 782, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Provide unemployment insurance to individuals who are voluntarily or involuntarily separated from their employment as a result of domestic or sexual violence against those individuals or those individuals' minor children; and

     (2)  Deem as good cause to refuse work, certain situations that create an unreasonable risk of violence.

     Your Committee finds that it is important to extend unemployment insurance benefits to individuals who are separated from employment as a result of domestic or sexual violence against those individuals or those individuals' minor children, as financial independence will help these individuals to escape or mitigate the physical and emotional injuries of abuse.

     Your Committee further finds that this measure will conform state laws to federal laws, enabling the State to receive funding under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.

     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. 782, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair