STAND. COM. REP. NO. 929-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1627

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1627, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MINIMUM WAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Repeal the minimum wage exemption allowing compensation of individuals whose earning capacity is impaired by old age or physical or mental deficiency or injury at less than minimum wage; and

(2) Authorize the compensation of persons with intellectual disabilities at less than minimum wage.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association, IMUAlliance, Labor Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii State AFL-CIO, Pono Hawai‘i Initiative, Young Progressives Demanding Action-Hawaii, and several concerned individuals supported this measure. Kalapawai Market and Cafes and Lanakila Pacific opposed this measure. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Democratic Party of Hawaii, Progressive Democrats of Hawai‘i, National Federation of the Blind Hawaii, National Down Syndrome Society, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Goodwill Hawaii, and many concerned individuals provided comments.

Your Committee respectfully requests that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations provide information on this measure regarding the number of special certificates issued by the Director, range of salaries of individuals who are impacted by this measure, and if an appropriate base salary may be determined.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1627, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair