STAND. COM. REP. NO. 455-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2273

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2273 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WAGES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the penalty for violations of the wages and hours law by making violations a class C felony.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO; and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Calypso Charters.

Your Committee finds that state labor laws should protect workers from employers who fail to pay their employees. Other states have recently increased penalties for employers who willfully commit wage theft. This measure will help protect Hawaii's workers by increasing the penalty for violations of the wages and hours law.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the provision that specified the range of the fine for violating the wages and hours law;

(2) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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 H.B. No. 2273, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2273, 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,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair