STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2884

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2351

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2351 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EQUAL PAY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit employers from inquiring about the wage or salary history of a job applicant, or relying on wage or salary history, during the hiring process to determine a job applicant's salary, benefits, or other compensation.

The measure also prohibits employers from retaliating or discriminating against an employee who discloses the employee's own wages, discusses or inquires about coworkers' wages, or aids or encourages other employees to exercise their rights under the law.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; AAUW; AAUW of Hawaii; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; and nineteen individuals.

The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Hawaii Food Industry Association submitted written comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that the prohibitions established by this measure will help to promote equality in the workplace and encourage equal pay between men and women.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2351, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2351, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair