STAND. COM. REP. NO.  230-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1995

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1995 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to bring awareness and prevent the crime of human trafficking by:

 

     (1)  Requiring specified establishments to post in a conspicuous place a poster that provides information on human trafficking and the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline;

 

     (2)  Defining the term "establishment";

 

     (3)  Requiring the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to place an electronic version of the poster on its website; and

 

     (4)  Establishing penalties for any establishment that does not comply with the posting requirements.

 

     Tadia Rice Consulting, and several concerned individuals supported the measure.  The Polaris Project, The Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, IMUAlliance, and a concerned individual supported the measure with amendments.  Harm Reduction Hawaii opposed the measure.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations offered comments on the measure.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding strip clubs and massage parlors to the definition of "establishment";

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the penalties apply to the agents, employees, and representatives of an establishment as well as to the establishment itself for willfully and knowingly failing, neglecting, or refusing to perform any of the required acts;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1995, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1995, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair