STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2856

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2253

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2253 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:

(1) Conform statutory prohibitions against wage discrimination with other prohibitions on employment discrimination;

(2) Clarify allowable justifications for compensation differentials and remedies for pay disparity; and

(3) Require employers to disclose wage ranges to employees and prospective employees.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Breastfeeding Hawaii, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, ILWU Local 142, and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Island Plastic Bags, Inc.; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Hawaii Food Industry Association, and The Queen's Health Systems.

Your Committee continues its commitment to ensuring that women and men are paid equally for work that is substantially equal with respect to the skill, effort, and responsibility required to perform the work and the conditions under which the work is performed. Similarly, your Committee proudly notes that Hawaii has led the way on many civil rights issues and that this measure is consistent with those achievements.

Your Committee finds that this measure proposes to establish Hawaii as a leader in the area of pay equity and clarify that Hawaii's law is protective of pay equity rights.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2253, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2253, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair