STAND. COM. REP. NO. ((4h1~2j
Honolulu, Hawaii
MAR28 , 2025
RE: H.C.R. No. 179
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 179
entitled:
“HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SENATE STANDING
COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND TECHNOLOGY AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES STANDING COMMITTEE ON LABOR TO CONVENE A
LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING A PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
PROGRAM FOR THE STATE,”
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to request the Senate Standing
Committee on Labor and Technology and House of Representatives
Standing Committee on Labor to convene a legislative working group
to develop recommendations for establishing and implementing a
paid family and medical leave program for the State.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Hawaii
State LGBTQ+ Commission; Executive Office on Aging; Office of
Weilness and Resilience; Hawaii County Council-District Two;
Hawaii State Teachers Association; Catholic Charities Hawaii;
Hawaii Nurses’ Association; Democratic Party of Hawaii; AARP
Hawaii; Indivisible Hawaii; Holomua Collaborative; Hawaii Public
Health Institute; Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus;
Imua Alliance; Aloha United Way; Wainiha Country Market mc;
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO.
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Hawaii Government Employees Association; Hawaii State AFL-CIO;
United Public Workers; Pride at Work Hawaii; Hawaii Children’s
Action Network Speaks; and 33 individuals. Your Committee
received comments on this measure from the Department of Human
Resources Development; Department of Labor and Industrial
Relations; Legislative Reference Bureau; University of Hawaii
Professional Assembly; SHRM Hawaii; and the Chamber of Commerce
Hawaii.
Your Committee finds that in the face of the current
workforce shortage, a paid family and medical leave program would
incentivize individuals to join the labor market and improve
employee retention, filling gaps and saving employers long—term
recruitment and training costs. Your Committee further finds that
a state—administered paid family and medical leave program would
benefit the State’s workforce while reducing the financial burden
for employers compared to a privately funded alternative. Your
Committee believes this measure is an essential first step towards
establishing a viable state-administered paid family and medical
leave program, as the working group that would be established by
this measure would recommend parameters for establishing and
implementing such a program after reviewing any potential legal,
logistical, and financial constraints.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
Including the directors of the central personnel agencies of
the State, the City and County of Honolulu, the County of Hawaii,
the County of Maui, the County of Kauai, the Judiciary, the
Department of Education, the University of Hawaii, and the Hawaii
Health Systems Corporation, or their designees as members of the
working group.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee
concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 179, as amended
herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on
Legislative Management in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No.
179, H.D. 1.
HCR179 HD1 HSCR LAB
 STAND. CON.
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REP. NO. / ~3~3
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Labor,
.hair
HCR179 HD1 HSCR LAB
 State of Hawaii
House of Representatives
The Thirty-third ~ /~3
Record of Votes of the Committee on Labor
Bill/Resolution No.: Committee Referral: Date:
~-~CR l7Ci L.A8,LM~
~ The committee is reconsidering its previous decision on the measure.
The recommendation is to: 0 Pass, unamended (as is) ~‘ Pass, with amendments (HD) 0 Hold
0 Pass short form bill with HD to recommit for future public hearing (recommit)
LAB Members Ayes Ayes (WR) Nays Excused
1. SAYAMA, Jackson D. (C)
~
2. LEE, Mike (VC)
3. GARRETT, Andrew Takuya
~
4. KAPELA, Jeanne
5. KONG, Sam Satoru
6. REYES ODA, Julie
TOTAL (6)
The recommendation is: ~‘Adopted ~ Not Adopted
If joint referral, did not support recommendation.
committee acronym(s)
Vice Chair’s or designee’s signature:
Distribution: Original (White) — Committee Duplicate (Yellow) — Chief Clerk’s Office Duplicate (Pink) — HMSO