Bill Text: HI SB2203 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Minimum Wage

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-02 - (S) Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [SB2203 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB2203-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2008

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2203

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2203 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the State's minimum wage to $7.75 from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013, and to $8.25 from July 1, 2013, and thereafter, to increase the economic security, well-being, and productivity of Hawaii's workers.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; the Hawaii State AFL-CIO; the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA), AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Pride At Work Hawaii; the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142; the Hawaii Professional Assembly; and two private individuals.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; the Hawaii Business League; the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Hawaii; the Retail Merchants of Hawaii; the Hawaii Food Industry Association; the Libertarian Party of Hawaii; the Okimoto Corp.; Ken's House of Pancakes of Hawaii, Inc.; Times Super Market; Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts, Inc.; Tamura Enterprises, Inc.; the Hawaii Restaurant Association; KYD, Inc.; and three private individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii's cost of living is the highest in the nation; however, the state minimum wage is still equal to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.  The proposed increase for the first year will place approximately $1,000 into the pockets of low-wage workers who will most likely spend those additional earnings on goods and services, thereby contributing to the economic recovery of the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure as suggested by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations by changing the effective date to October 1, 2012, to take into account planning considerations.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2203, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2203, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

 

		____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair