STAND. COM. REP. NO. 691

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 488

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 488 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit employers from:

(1) Requiring employees to enter into nondisclosure agreements, as a condition of employment, preventing the employee from disclosing sexual harassment or sexual assault occurring in the workplace, at work-related events, between employees, or between an employer and an employee; and

(2) Retaliating against employees for disclosing or discussing sexual harassment or sexual assault.

The O‘ahu Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Midwives Alliance of Hawaii, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Aloha State Association of the Deaf, and a few individuals testified in support of this measure. The Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission provided comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 488, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 488, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair