Crucial April 13 Legislative Deadline Looms

April 1, 2023

Crucial April 13 Legislative Deadline Looms

The second lateral deadline passed March 24, the last day any bill to move to its final assigned committee in the non-originating chamber (e.g., House bills move to final Senate committee and vice-versa). Committee hearings must be complete, and bills must cross back over to their originating chamber by April 13. Any bill that fails to meet one of these deadlines is effectively “dead” for this legislative session. There are four high priority bills for NFIB remaining for this session:

HB 1409 – Relation to Employee Benefits Extends under certain conditions, the family leave period for up to eight weeks for employees who are unable to perform their employment duties due to the birth of a child who is required to stay in a neonatal intensive care unit. Requires the Department of Health to amend its rules to include neonatal care as a related medical condition wherever the phrase “pregnancy, childbirth, or other related condition” is used.

SB 753 – Relating to Accessibility Requires retail establishments with an employee toilet facility to allow a customer suffering from an eligible medical condition to use that restroom during normal business hours under certain conditions. Establishes fines.

SB 1057 – Relating to Employment Earnings Requires certain job listings to include an hourly rate or salary range. Prohibits an employer from discriminating between employees because of any protected category established under state law, by paying wages to employees in an establishment at a rate less than the rate at which the employer pays wages to other employees in the establishment for substantially similar work.

SB 1522 – Relating to Economic Development Establishes an Office of Destination Management within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Requires the Office of Destination Management to implement certain county destination management action plans. Repeals the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Establishes and appropriates funds for a tourism liaison officer within the office of the governor. Appropriates funds.

Any of the remaining bills that pass cross back over to the originating chamber will either be approved by that chamber or be sent to conference. At conference, select House and Senate members will negotiate a final draft of the bill acceptable to both chambers. If they fail to come to an agreement, the bill will be “dead” for this session. The Hawaii state team continues to work on these high priority bills.

Photo snip courtesy of the Hawaii State Legislature website