Bill Text: HI SR103 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Labor And Industrial Relations, In Collaboration With The Department Of Agriculture, And Department Of Business, Economic Development, And Tourism, To Submit A Report Determining A Living Wage Standard For Agricultural Workers Living In The State.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)
Status: (Passed) 2019-04-04 - Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1). [SR103 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-SR103-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.R. NO. |
103 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, TO SUBMIT A REPORT DETERMINING A LIVING WAGE STANDARD FOR AGRICULTURAL WORKERS LIVING IN THE STATE.
WHEREAS, "living wage" is defined as a wage sufficient to provide the necessities and comforts essential to an acceptable standard of living; and
WHEREAS, agricultural workers employed in the State earn wages less than other states and their wages are below living wage standards; and
WHEREAS, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an hourly wage of $15.73 is considered livable in the State of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, the shortage of agricultural workers has posed a significant challenge to Governor David Ige's Sustainable Hawai‘i Initiative, which plans on doubling local food production by 2020 and additionally, in the long term, to locally produce twenty percent of food by 2050 under the 2050 Sustainability Plan; and
WHEREAS, increasing the wages earned by agricultural workers will incentivize individuals to pursue an occupation in the agricultural workforce; and
WHEREAS, competitive wages in the agriculture sector will contribute in the retention of skilled individuals employed in the agricultural workforce; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, is requested to submit to the Legislature a report determining a living wage standard for agricultural workers living in the State; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) A breakdown of the average living wage for each county;
(2) The living wage for each county adjusted for employer- provided housing, health insurance, transportation, and meals, as applicable;
(3) A breakdown of the average living expenses for an agricultural worker living in each county;
(4) The current median wage earned by agricultural workers in the State;
(5) Annual data of local food production in the State since 2000; and
(6) Annual data of agricultural workers employed in the State since 2000; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, is requested to submit the report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Director of Labor and Industrial Relations; Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture; and Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
DLIR; DOA; DBEDT; Living Wage Standard; Report
