STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1787

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 1787 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish Employment First as a state policy with respect to persons with disabilities;

(2) Require state and county agencies to implement this policy in hiring and all programs and services administered or funded by the State or counties; and

(3) Apply Employment First principles to Medicaid home- and community-based waiver programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Rainbow Family 808, Hawaii Self Advocacy Advisory Council, and Full Life. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that Employment First principles promote the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace and community through integrated employment. Through Act 55, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, the Legislature affirmed its commitment to support the employment of persons with disabilities by ending the practice of paying persons with disabilities below the minimum wage. Your Committee finds that this measure is a logical next step in integrating persons with disabilities into the workforce.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to December 25, 2040, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 & Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1787, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1787, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Tourism,

____________________________

RICHARD H.K. ONISHI, Chair