STAND. COM. REP. NO.1308

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 825
                                     S.D. 2
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was
referred S.B. No. 825, S.D. 2, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BREASTFEEDING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to promote the practice of
breastfeeding in public accommodations and places of work by:

     (1)  Providing an income tax credit for employers who
          provide a specific place for the sole purpose of
          breastfeeding or expressing milk;

     (2)  Authorizing employers to provide employees with up to
          one unpaid hour per working day to breastfeed or
          express milk; and

     (3)  Specifying that it is a discriminatory practice to
          restrict or limit the right of a woman to breastfeed a
          child in a place of public accommodations.

     The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Mothers
Care, Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Catholic
Charities Family Services, Kokua Kalihi Valley, Hawai'i Nurses'
Association, the Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of
Pediatrics, the Hawaii Medical Association, Healthy Mothers,
Healthy Babies, and several individuals testified in support of
this measure.  The Department of Health and the Hawaii Civil

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1308
                                 Page 2

 
Rights Commission testified in support of the intent of this
measure.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii commented on this measure.
The Department of Taxation testified in opposition to this
measure.

     Your Committee believes that providing opportunities for
mothers to breastfeed in public accommodations and places of work
will encourage this practice, which will result in many health,
economic, and personal benefits for babies, mothers, and the
community.

     Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Deleting the provision relating to the income tax
          credit;

     (2)  Changing the effective date of the bill to September
          15, 2001; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 825, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No.
825, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and Public
                                   Employment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   TERRY NUI YOSHINAGA, Chair