STAND. COM. REP. NO. 848

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 55

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 55, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEAL BREAKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require employers to permit their employees to take a rest or meal period of at least thirty minutes for every five hours of work.

Furthermore, this measure exempts employers who are part of a collective bargaining agreement that provides for meal breaks or who are operators of continuously operating facilities that are regulated by an environmental permit.

Your Committee finds that it is common business practice for employers to give their employees meal breaks. However, employees in Hawaii presently have no right to meal breaks. In contrast, they reportedly have that right in other western states. By converting a common employer practice to a protected employee right, your Committee finds that this measure will promote the employee's health, good faith, and human dignity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 55, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair