STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3221

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 86

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 86 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CONVENING OF A PAID FAMILY LEAVE TASK FORCE TO EXAMINE THE BENEFITS AND COSTS OF A POTENTIAL PAID FAMILY LEAVE PROGRAM IN HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request:

     (1)  The convening of a paid family leave task force to examine the benefits and costs of a potential paid family leave program in Hawaii; and

     (2)  The task force to report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, YWCA O‘ahu, Hawai‘i State Democratic Women's Caucus, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, ILWU Local 142, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, Children's Action Network, Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and four individuals.

     Your Committees find that the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 allows twelve weeks of unpaid leave to certain employees, and the Hawaii Family Leave Law provides an additional four weeks of unpaid family leave to certain employees.  However, the majority of Hawaii's workforce cannot afford to take unpaid leave when needing to provide care to a newborn, bond with a new child, or care for a family member with a serious health condition.  Previous joint task forces on family caregiving convened by the Legislature have all determined that family caregivers need adequate wage replacement and support when providing care.  Implementation of this measure will further examine paid family and medical leave and may help decrease the wage gap between men and women.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting that the task force examine private sector family leave programs, in addition to state paid family leave medical programs;

     (2)  Requesting the co-chairs of the task force to invite members representing insurers, including at least one offering temporary disability coverage, to join the task force; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     Your Committees note the testimony of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations expressing concerns that an appropriation may be necessary for the task force to work with an economic analysis firm or program to develop an actuarial amount for the benefits offered by a state paid family and medical leave program.  Your Committees request that your Committee on Ways and Means further examine the issue should it choose to hear this measure.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 86, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 86, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair