STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1431

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 331

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 331, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist Hawaii's workers by increasing the hourly minimum wage to:

(1)  $7.75 beginning on January 1, 2014;

(2)  $8.25 beginning on January 1, 2015;

(3)  $8.75 beginning on January 1, 2016; and

(4)  $9.00 beginning on January 1, 2017.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Department of Human Services; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO; Hawaii Catholic Conference; Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; Labor Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; UNITE HERE! Local 5; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Plumbers and Fitters Local 675; Progressive Democrats; and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The National Federation of Independent Business Hawai‘i; Hawaii Business League; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Times Supermarket; Gyotaku Japanese Restaurants; Tamura Super Market; Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaii; Tanaka of Tokyo; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Regal Entertainment Group; Times Supermarkets; T S Restaurants; Envisions Entertainment; Island Landscape; Akina Aloha Tours; Pizza Bob's; and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawai‘i Alliance for Retired Americans; TS Restaurants Hawaii; Duke's Beach House Maui; Hula Grill; Leilani's on the Beach; Duke's Waikiki; Keoki's Paradise; Duke's Canoe Club Kauai; Hula Grill Waikiki; Kimo's Restaurant; Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill; and several concerned individuals provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 331, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair