STAND. COM. REP. NO. 481

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1833

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1833 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY LEAVE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to allow an employee to elect to use accrued paid leave, including vacation, personal, or family leave, for any part of the four-week period of family leave provided under the law. 

 

     Your Committee heard testimony in support of the bill from Hawaii Family Forum, the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Hawaii, HGEA, International Association of Aerospace Workers, ILWU, International Association of Machinist Union – Local Lodge 1979, and Hawaii State AFL-CIO.  Those opposing the bill were the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and Retail Merchants of Hawaii.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations did not oppose the bill at this time.

 

     Hawaii has the highest longevity among all of the 50 States. Due to this distinction, employees with elderly family members are constantly called to provide emergency care for them as they age.  This bill will allow employees to use their accrued paid leave to care for the elderly relatives in emergency situations.  This will enable family caregivers to keep their elderly relatives at home and from seeking assistance from government programs and services.  In the long run, we will all benefit from this measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1833 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair