STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1056-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2895

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2895, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide the Executive Director of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission with discretion in the investigation and conciliation of filed complaints not falling under the federal Fair Housing Act.  Specifically, this measure authorizes the Executive Director to dismiss a complaint and issue a notice of right to sue, in addition to the Executive Director's existing power to demand that a respondent cease an alleged unlawful discriminatory practice.

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and an individual provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Specifying that the Executive Director, rather than the Commission, may reconsider the Executive Director's action to dismiss a complaint and issue a notice of right to sue; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2091, to encourage further discussion.

     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 S.B. No. 2895, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2895, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair