STAND. COM. REP. NO. 689

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 96

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 96 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow each county to establish a minimum wage for employees within their respective county that is higher than the state minimum wage.

The City and County of Honolulu, Council Chair Emeritus & Council Vice Chair of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and several individuals testified in support of this measure. The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Malolo Charters; Maui Dive Shop; The Hawaii Business League; Boss Frog's Dive & Surf; Ocean Tourism Coalition; We Are One, Inc.; Calypso Charters; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Fair Wind Cruises; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Hawaii Farm Bureau; and a few individuals opposed this measure. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, IMUAlliance, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Education Caucus, Democratic Party of Hawaii Labor Caucus, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Hawaii Children's Action Network, and many individuals commented on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on this measure.

Your Committee notes that other states have enacted laws that allow their local jurisdictions to establish minimum wages that are higher than the state minimum wage. In particular, in the states of California and Washington, cities and counties are allowed to enact minimum wages for their localities.

Your Committee also notes that on January 30, 2019, the Honolulu City Council unanimously approved Council Resolution No. 19-1, which requests the Legislature to move forward with the enactment of legislation to increase the state minimum wage to a living wage for the State.

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. 96, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 96, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair