HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1474
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to elections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

PART I

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part VII to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§11-   Employers; "kiwila pono" designation. (a)  There is established a kiwila pono designation program to be administered by the office of elections to honor employers under this section.

(b)  Employers in the State shall be given the designation of "kiwila pono", or "champion of democracy", after receiving the approval of the office of elections upon submission of proof that the employer has allowed its employees to be absent with pay from any service or employment on election day to work at a polling place in the State.

(c)  An employer who has been given the designation of kiwila pono may indicate on the employer's premises, on any goods kept, offered, displayed, or exposed for sale, or on any advertising materials that the employer has received the designation of kiwila pono.

(d)  The office of elections shall adopt rules in accordance with chapter 91 to effectuate the purposes of this section."

PART II

     SECTION 2.  Section 11-76, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§11-76  Compensation[.]; leaves of absence.  (a)  Electronic ballot and voting machine elections.  Precinct officials and related election day nonprofit groups or employees shall be compensated pursuant to a schedule established by the chief election officer.  The schedule shall be contained in rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91.

     (b)  Paper ballot elections.  The chairperson of the precinct officials and the precinct officials shall receive the same base amounts as in subsection (a).  In addition, all precinct officials shall be paid $5 for each three hundred ballots or portion thereof cast at that precinct.

(c)  A state or county employee who has been temporarily employed by the chief election officer or a county clerk pursuant to section 11-5(a) or otherwise designated by the same to service as a precinct official or other election employee on an election day shall be entitled to eight additional hours of paid leave of absence for use only on the workday immediately preceding the election day; provided that:

(1) An employee granted a leave of absence pursuant to this subsection shall be paid at the employee's regular rate of pay for the regular hours during which the employee is absent from work, without loss of seniority, pay, vacation, sick leave, or earned overtime accumulations; and

(2) This subsection shall not apply to any permanent employee of the chief election officer or of a county clerk."

PART III

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.
     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Elections; Kiwila Pono Designation; Leave of Absence for Public Employees Serving as Election Day Officials

Description:

Establishes the designation of kiwila pono for employers who permit employees to be absent with pay on election day to work at a polling place.  Authorizes a paid leave of absence for one work day for state and county employees who serve as precinct officials and other temporary employees on election day.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.