Legislators OK
minimum-wage
increase

50-cent wage hikes over
the next 2 years was
approved

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By Crystal Kua
and Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

For the first time in eight years, the state Legislature has approved an increase in Hawaii's minimum wage.

The bill, approved last night, is made up of two 50-cent increases, the first on Jan. 1 to $5.75 from $5.25, and the second to $6.25 on Jan. 1, 2003.

"I think this is one of those issues that basically stand apart, or make us stand apart, from each other and distinguish who we are in the community and in this society," said House Majority Leader Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa), who voted for the bill.

The bill would also raise the tip credit -- which applies to employers of workers who receive tips -- to 25 cents from 20 cents. Tipped workers would receive that much less than the minimum wage so long as their tips make up the difference by 50 cents or more.

Sen. Norman Sakamoto (D, Moanalua) voted against the bill because he said it would be an added expense to businesses and could result in fewer entry-level jobs.

"That would result in higher unemployment for the very people we are trying to help," Sakamoto said. "This measure will do more harm than good in the long run."

The minimum wage was last raised in 1993.

Gov. Ben Cayetano, who last year lobbied hard for a minimum wage increase, said last night that the bill would help residents on welfare who will lose their benefits in December.

House Republicans, however, warned that small businesses will be hurt.

Rep. Mark Moses (R, Kapolei) said the way to end poverty in Hawaii is not to raise the minimum wage but to allow businesses to flourish so they can hire more people. "People have to work for a living. And people can't work for a living if there's no work to be done."

The bill was one of hundreds voted on last night as the 2001 legislative session wraps up it work for the year. The session is scheduled to officially close tomorrow.

One of the closest votes in the Senate came over a bill that would require children under 8 years old and weighing less than 80 pounds to be strapped into a booster seat or child-safety seat when riding in cars. The current law calls for children under age 4 to be in a safety seat.

The measure passed 13 to 12 with many senators representing neighbor island or rural areas voting against it. The measure also drew opposition from House Republicans who said the proposed law was vague.

Sen. Cal Kawamoto (D, Waipahu), a backer of the bill, said parents are asking for the measure to keep children safe.

Sen. Bob Hogue (R, Kaneohe) said like the law that went into effect this year requiring children to wear helmets while riding bicycles, the booster-seat bill is well-intended but may be difficult to enforce. "A better idea would be to trust parents, to trust them to make the best decisions for their children and to make them be safe," he said.

Hogue, the father of four children, said the bill would put difficult restrictions on parents, especially those who have several children and own small cars or pick-up trucks, like many parents in rural areas or on the neighbor islands do.

Sen. Sam Slom (R, Aina Haina), wearing a colorful bicycle helmet and holding up a booster seat, said adults would soon need to carry their car seats around with them.

Another moment of comic relief came with discussion over a bill that would authorize counties to enact and enforce ordinances relating to dangerous dogs. The pop song "Who Let The Dogs Out" rang out just as Sen. Matt Matsunaga (D, Palolo) was about to give his speech.

"With the passage of this measure, we will no longer have the tail wagging the dog, and this bill will actually put some teeth into our laws," Matsunaga said. "Mr. President, I urge all my colleagues to bark 'Aye.'"

The House and the Senate passed a sexual age-of-consent bill that would raise the age to 16 from 14. The bill, which would be in effect for a trial period ending June 30, 2003, would prohibit sex between someone under 16 and someone at least five years older.

"I think this is one of the successes of this session," Slom said. "Both the House and the Senate got together and finally reached a position that is more in line with what public has wanted to do and has asked us -- no, demanded for us -- to do."

Meanwhile, the legislature also approved about $300 million in the state budget to fund all five public worker union pay raises, which was a major concern when the session began in January.

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