SECTION 1. The legislature finds that employment is one key to full civic engagement for individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities. In addition to improving economic well-being, employment increases self-worth, builds relationships, and provides access to community resources. Employment establishes community connections that allow people to become contributing and valued members of their community.

The legislature further finds that employment first is a policy based upon the idea that working age persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities can work in jobs fully integrated in the community. Integrated employment includes typical workplace settings that offer regular opportunities for meaningful interaction with coworkers, customers, and the community. The employment of persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities adds to the diversity of the workforce and general enrichment of communities.

The purpose of this Act is to establish an employment first policy for persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities in Hawaii.

SECTION 2. Chapter 333F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§333F- Employment first policy; committee. (a) In furtherance of the State's responsibility to provide support and services for persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities in order to support them in living self-determined lives, it shall be the policy of the State to provide greater opportunities for integrated, competitive employment for working age persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities. Integrated, competitive employment is intended to be the first option considered by the department for working age persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities; provided that the person may choose goals other than integrated, competitive employment. This policy shall be construed to be consistent with the rights established pursuant to section 333F-8.

(b) The department shall establish an employment first committee to serve in an advisory capacity for the implementation of the employment first policy. The director of health shall serve as chairperson of the employment first committee and appoint members as may be necessary; provided that the membership shall at least include representatives or advocates for employers and individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

(1) Identify the roles and responsibilities of state and county agencies in enhancing integrated, competitive employment opportunities for persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities;

(2) Identify strategies, best practices, and incentives for increasing integrated, competitive employment opportunities for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities, including ways to improve the transition planning process for students and to develop partnerships with employers and job developers;

(3) Identify sources of employment data and make recommendations for increasing integrated, competitive employment for persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities;

(4) Identify sources of consumer data that may be used to provide demographic information, including age, gender, ethnicity, types of disability, and geographic location, and that may be matched with employment data to identify outcomes and trends of the employment first policy;

(5) Recommend goals for measuring employment participation and outcomes for persons within the developmental disabilities system; and

(6) Recommend statutory, rule, and policy changes to increase the number of persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities in integrated, competitive employment.

(d) The members of the employment first committee shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(e) The employment first committee shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2016, and each regular session thereafter, on its activities and recommendations during the year preceding the report.

(f) For purposes of this section:

"Competitive employment" means work in the competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by persons who are not disabled.

"Integrated employment" means employment of a person with developmental or intellectual disabilities in a setting typically found in the community in which the person interacts with persons without disabilities other than those who are providing services to the person with developmental or intellectual disabilities, to the same extent that persons without disabilities in comparable positions interact with other persons."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	860
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII