[HIABS] Success! HB 1627 Passed by WAM

[Justin Salisbury]

Aloha, my Federation Ohana:

Mahalo to all those who submitted testimony!

Today, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means passed HB 1627, and their amendments did nothing to limit the equality of workers with disabilities. I visited the office of Vice Chair Keith-Agaran this afternoon, and his staff explained to me that the Committee only removed the part of the bill that would have created an extra staff position at the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to monitor people's wages. They also made technical, non-substantive amendments.

This means that we are one step closer to getting it signed by the governor. I will be in touch again with updates as the bill progresses.

Soon, I'll be telling you about conference committee, which is a group of people from the House and Senate that go over all of the versions of the bill to come up with final language to be presented to the Governor.

In other great news, our friends and colleagues in Seattle succeeded at ending the payment of subminimum wages in Seattle. Here's a press release and news article:
https://nfb.org/seattle-ends-subminimum-wages-workers-disabilities
https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2018/4/3/seattle-employers-must-now-pay-people-with-disabilities-minimum-wage

A hui hou,

Justin

Justin M. Salisbury, MA, NOMC, NCRTB, NCUEB
Legislative Committee Chair
Honolulu Chapter
National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii
Phone: 808.797.8606
Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury

"Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore."

Cesar Chavez


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