STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1684

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.R. No. 96

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred H.R. No. 96 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE OF HAWAII TO REQUIRE THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP THAT ADMINISTERS THE MANDATORY HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION TRAINING TO EMPLOYEES DEMONSTRATE ADEQUATE COMPETENCY IN LGBTQ+ (LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER, AND MORE IDENTITIES) IDENTITY AND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC GENDER IDENTITY RELEVANT TO HAWAIʻI,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the State of Hawaii to require that any individual or group that administers the mandatory harassment and discrimination training to employees demonstrate adequate competency in LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and more identities) identity and culturally specific gender identity relevant to Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission; Pride at Work Hawaii; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

Your Committee finds that existing training programs for state employees across various agencies would benefit from greater consistency in their understanding of LGBTQ+ identities and culturally specific gender identities, such as māhū, and could be enhanced by incorporating best practices for fostering effective and respectful dialogue with colleagues, managers, directors, constituents, clients, and customers from diverse communities, including the LGBTQ+ community. Your Committee believes this measure will improve training programs provided to Hawaii's workforce to better reflect the diversity and cultural contexts within the LGBTQ+ community.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 96 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair