CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 49-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    S.B. No. 1233

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1233, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEAVES OF ABSENCE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require private employers employing fifty or more employees to allow employees to take leaves of absence for organ, bone marrow, or peripheral blood stem cell donations;

     (2)  Require employers to restore an employee returning from leave to the same or equivalent position; and

     (3)  Establish a private right of action for employees seeking enforcement of provisions.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that private employers are not currently required to give employees paid time off for donating organs, bone marrow, or peripheral blood stem cells.  Your Committee on Conference further finds that many people in Hawaii who would otherwise donate these vital medical resources delay or altogether refrain from donation because they cannot take time off of work to do so.  By requiring employers to allow employees paid time off for organ, bone marrow, and peripheral blood stem cell donation, this measure provides life-saving medical resources to benefit citizens of the State in medical need.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making the measure effective upon approval.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1233, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1233, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair
____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Co-Chair	____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Co-Chair
____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Co-Chair