STAND. COM. REP. NO.  164

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1474

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1474 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize and incentivize employers who permit employees to be absent with pay on Election Day to work at a polling place by:

     (1)  Establishing the designation of "Kiwili Pono" or "Champion of Democracy" program for employers to indicate their participation in the program; and

     (2)  Authorizing paid leave of absence for one work day for State and county employees who serve as election officials on Election Day.

The Office of Elections; Office of the County Clerk for the County of Hawaii; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and League of Women Voters of Hawaii testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the authorization of paid leave of absence for one work day for State and county employees who serve as election officials on Election Day;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2115, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1474, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1474, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair