REPORT TITLE:
Disaster Relief


DESCRIPTION:
Authorizes paid leave for state and county employees responding
to disasters for the American Red Cross.  (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Chapter 79, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 2 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 3 read as follows:
 
 4      "�79-    Paid leave for state and county employees providing
 
 5 disaster relief services for the American Red Cross.  (a)  The
 
 6 governor or mayor, or their respective designees, may grant a
 
 7 state or county employee, respectively, who is a certified
 
 8 American Red Cross disaster volunteer up to thirty days of paid
 
 9 leave of absence to perform disaster relief services for the
 
10 American Red Cross when a disaster has been:
 
11      (1)  Designated as level III or higher by the American Red
 
12           Cross regulations;
 
13      (2)  Officially declared by the President of the United
 
14           States; or
 
15      (3)  Declared a state of emergency by the governor;
 
16 provided that the employee has prior authorization from the
 
17 governor or mayor, as applicable, and the leave of absence
 
18 imposes no undue hardship on state or county operations.
 
19      (b)  Employees granted leaves of absence pursuant to this
 

 
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 1 section shall be paid at their regular rates of pay for those
 
 2 regular hours during which the employees are absent from work,
 
 3 without loss of seniority, pay, vacation, sick leave, or earned
 
 4 overtime accumulations.
 
 5      (c)  Except as provided in sections 127-15 and 128-17, the
 
 6 State or counties, as applicable, shall not be liable for
 
 7 workers' compensation claims arising from accident or injury
 
 8 while the employee is on assignment as a certified American Red
 
 9 Cross disaster service volunteer."
 
10      SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
11      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.