[HIABS] Both Subminimum Wage Bills Passed with Amendments

[Justin Salisbury]

NFB Ohana,

I know we're super busy this week and really appreciate everyone who submitted testimony.

Both bills passed with amendments today. Here are some quick summaries:

SB 3023, SD 2
This bill was passed by the House Committee on Labor & Public Employment. The chair assured us that he was getting rid of subminimum wages altogether and just needed to add some additional technical language to make sure that the practice was completely abolished. This is the same guy who amended the other bill to limit the payment of subminimum wages to only those people who had intellectual disabilities. It sounds like we have educated him. I will be sure to thank him.

HB 1627, HD 1
This bill was passed by the Senate Committee on Labor. The chair wiped out the practice of paying subminimum wages to workers with intellectual disabilities, thus ending the practice, and also added a section for reporting requirements. The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will need to track and report on the progress of the workers who had previously been paid subminimum wages to ensure that they are supported and treated in such a way that will make them successful. The amendment will create one new FTE (full time employee) in the DLIR to monitor this progress and more broadly enhance the ability of the DLIR to monitor wage discrimination practices.

Now, there is no more language discriminating against people with intellectual disabilities.

Mahalo for your support, and I will be back in touch as soon as the new drafts are published with reports.

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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