Legislators OK $2.75 minimum wage rise

The state House on Tuesday approved a minimum wage increase, and there were new signs that the state Senate might accept the House draft rather than force conference committee negotiations that could endanger a pay raise for low-income workers.

The minimum wage would increase to $10 an hour by January 2018 and the tip credit would expand to 75 cents an hour under the House bill. Businesses would not be able to deduct the tip credit from workers who earn tips unless workers earn at least $7 an hour more than the minimum wage, up from 50 cents.

House lawmakers rejected Republican amendments for higher tip credits that would have helped restaurant owners and other businesses absorb a higher minimum wage.

"Raising the minimum wage is good for Hawaii’s families and good for Hawaii’s economy," said Rep. Mark Naka­shima (D, Kukui­ha­ele-Lau­pa­hoe­hoe-North Hilo), chairman of the House Labor and Public Employment Committee. "Money in the pocket of working people will be spent to make ends meet, boost our economy and create jobs in our community."

The state’s $7.25-an-hour minimum wage has not been raised since 2007. The tip credit is 25 cents. House and Senate leaders have said they want to avoid conference committee if possible because a minimum wage increase died last year in conference over disagreements on the size of a tip credit.

Senate leaders who met privately Tuesday said they would recommend that senators accept the House version and send the bill to Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

"We’d like to deal with the minimum wage sooner than later. So that seems to be the consensus," said Senate President Donna Mercado Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Moana­lua-Halawa). "We don’t know if that’s what the caucus is going to agree with."

Sen. Clayton Hee (D, Heeia-Laie-Waia­lua), chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee, might hold out for a Senate draft that would increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by January 2017. He said an increase to $10.10 an hour is in line with President Barack Obama’s goal nationally and would be more meaningful to the working poor.

"If the Legislature is truly concerned about helping the working poor, $10.10 over three years is, in my opinion, a better way of achieving it as opposed to the House version," Hee said.

House and Senate lawmakers prepared hundreds of bills for second crossover between the chambers Thursday, the last procedural step before conference committee negotiations.

The Senate advanced a bill that would weaken the governor’s power over appointments to the Hawaii Community Development Authority, freeze height limits for condominium towers in Kaka­ako and expand public-hearing requirements on development proj­ects.

The House moved a bill that would give the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs residential development rights near the waterfront in Kaka­ako, which would overturn a prohibition that community activists and surfers won in 2006 when Alexander & Baldwin had proposed a development proj­ect.

In a nod toward the counties, the Senate supported a bill that would lift the annual $93 million cap on hotel-room tax revenue shared with the counties. But several lawmakers have warned that the state may have to phase in the change — if the bill is approved at all — because of state budget concerns.

Many of the bills with financial components have blank dollar amounts, and lawmakers will not know how much money is available until the final draft of the state budget is completed.

Lawmakers have optimistically kept alive tax credits for low-income people and for new hotel construction, although the chances that the tax incentives will survive are remote given the state’s downgraded revenue forecast.

"The budget obviously will be a telling tale as to how much money we’re going to have and which bills are going to get funded," Kim said.

The House embraced bills that would make kindergarten mandatory and fund family-child interaction learning programs that promote school readiness.

The Senate supported a bill that would establish an early childhood education program if voters approve in November a constitutional amendment allowing public money to be used on private preschool, part of Abercrombie’s goal of universal preschool.

Senators also advanced a bill that would repeal a future requirement that public schools have a 180-day school year and 1,080 instructional hours, mandates that grew out of parent frustration over teacher furloughs during the recession.

House lawmakers defeated an amendment by Rep. Bob McDermott (R, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) to a state Department of Education bill that would have clarified the state law that states that sex education must be medically accurate and age-appropriate. McDermott and others have complained that Pono Choices, a pilot sex education program for middle-schoolers, classifies the anus as genitalia and minimizes the dangers associated with anal sex. A working group is reviewing the program.

"I think the level of specificity in this amendment that seems to focus perversely on these very specific sex acts misses the point" of teaching broad health education, said Rep. Della Au Belatti (D, Moiliili-Makiki-Tantalus), chairwoman of the House Health Committee.

McDermott jumped in to defend himself. "My amendment, which is a reflection of me, is being called perverse," he said. "I’m not perverse; Pono Choices is perverse. That’s what this is all about. I take that as an insult, and I ask the lady to withdraw it."

In the Senate, senators advanced a bill that would eliminate life sentences without parole for juvenile offenders.

Senators also moved a bill that would prohibit undercover police officers from having sex with prostitutes during sting operations — an issue that received embarrassing national attention after some in law enforcement argued that police should have full legal protection when soliciting sex during prostitution investigations. Police, however, have since supported the prohibition.

The Senate backed a bill that would expand the statute of limitations for criminal and civil claims for sexual abuse against minors. The bill would also extend a window — set to close later this month — for filing civil claims for child sexual abuse in cases where the statute of limitations has expired. Two dozen lawsuits have been filed against clergy and churches since the window was opened two years ago.

The House approved a similar bill that would also extend the window for filing civil claims for child sexual abuse, although the bill would add the state and counties as potential targets of lawsuits, a provision that could prompt opposition from Abercrombie. In the past the governor has opposed including the state and counties, arguing that it could expose government to unknown financial liabilities.

Senators also moved a bill that would allow voter registration at absentee polling places by the 2016 elections and Election Day voter registration by the 2018 elections. Some public-policy experts believe that allowing late voter registration could improve the state’s disturbingly low voter turnout.