STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3054

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1683

       H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 1683, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY LEAVE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize employees to use family leave pursuant to the state family leave law to care for an employee's sibling with a serious health condition.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii State AFL-CIO, ILWU Local 142, and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Society for Human Resource Management, Hawaii Chapter; ABC Stores; and Hawaii Food Industry Association.

     Your Committee finds that under the State's existing family leave law, an employee is not authorized to use family leave to care for the employee's sibling with a serious health condition.  However, when a person is diagnosed with a serious health condition, the person may need to rely on a family member, including a sibling, for care and emotional support.  Implementation of this measure exemplifies the State's broad concept of family by providing accessible caregiver support for more individuals.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1683, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair