STAND. COM. REP. NO. 583-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2757

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2757, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Beginning January 1, 2027, require the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a Family and Medical Leave Program and begin collecting payroll contributions to finance payment of benefits; and

(2) Beginning January 1, 2028, require the Department to start receiving claims and paying benefits under the Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Executive Office on Early Learning; Disability and Communication Access Board; Office of Wellness and Resilience; one member of the Hawaiʻi County Council; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Pride at Work – Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Hunger Action Network; Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Education Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Labor Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Women's Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Save Medicaid Hawaii; Rainbow Family 808; AAUW of Hawaiʻi; Parents And Children Together; Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Family Caregiver Coalition; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Imua Alliance; AlohaCare; Pacific Birth Collective; Breastfeeding Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawaiʻi Public Health Association; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi; UNITE HERE Local 5; Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Hawaiʻi Workers Center; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Society of Human Resources Management Hawaii; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Hawaii Energy Marketers Association; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Hawaii Food Industry Association; and American Council of Life Insurers.

Your Committee finds that the United States is the only developed country that does not provide national paid family leave. Your Committee further finds that thirteen states and the District of Columbia have passed paid family leave laws, and the states with paid family leave have seen significant health, social, and economic benefits. Many of the State's working families do not have adequate amounts of paid leave, which causes financial hardship and increased dependency on public assistance during times of illness or caregiving. This measure will provide working families with family and medical leave benefits, which can help workers retain employment while caring for family and help businesses retain key employees and remain competitive.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2757, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair