STAND. COM. REP. NO.  856

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1028

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1028, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to assist Hawaii's workers.  Specifically, this bill:

 

(1)  Extends the time period during which an individual's maximum weekly unemployment benefit amount will be calculated at 75 percent of the average weekly wage from December 31, 2012, to December 31, 2013;

 

(2)  Retains, for calendar year 2013, the employer contribution rate for unemployment benefits at schedule F; and

 

(3)  Increases the hourly minimum wage of workers to $7.75 beginning on January 1, 2014; $8.25 beginning on January 1, 2015; and $8.75 beginning on January 1, 2016.  

 

     The United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO; American Income Life Insurance Company; Hawaii Catholic Conference; ILWU Local 142; Hawaii Restaurant Association; and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The National Federation of Independent Business Hawaii, TS Restaurants, Hawaiian Chip Company, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Extending the 2013 first quarter deadline for payment of employer contributions for unemployment benefits from April 30, 2013, to May 31, 2013;

 

(2)  Increasing the hourly minimum wage to $9.00 beginning January 1, 2017; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1028, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1028, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair