Sen. Russell E. Ruderman

Establishes a family leave insurance program, which requires employees to make contributions into a trust fund that can be used to provide employees with family leave insurance benefits to care for a designated person. Amends the amount and duration of family leave payable to covered individuals. Expands the class of employers who are subject to the family leave law. Appropriates funds to the department of labor and industrial relations to implement the family leave insurance program. Requires a study to be performed by the department of labor and industrial relations and an actuarial study to be performed by the department of budget and finance.

Repeals the statutory cap on the disposition of conveyance taxes dedicated for deposit into the rental housing revolving fund for the financing of affordable rental housing development.

Establishes a civil cause of action against employers for employees who have been subject to wage discrimination, and allows employees who have been subject to wage discrimination on the basis of sex to seek treble damages.

Prohibits commingling of moneys distributed by the State or federal government for the purpose of operating a charter school with other moneys that do not have an educational purpose that benefits the charter school. Prohibits any action of a charter school or its governing board from giving rise to a private cause of action against the State. Requires any contract entered into by a charter school over a minimum amount to contain conditions and provisions provided by the department of the attorney general. (SD1)

Provides income tax credits for employers when their employees telecommute for work and for conducting telecommute assessments.

Increases minimum wage to $11.00 per hour beginning 01/01/19, $12.00 per hour beginning 01/01/20, $13.00 per hour beginning 01/01/21, $14.00 per hour beginning 01/01/22, and $15.00 per hour beginning 01/01/2023. Requires DBEDT to conduct assessment on living wage in Hawaii and submit report to legislature on its findings by 01/01/2020.

Allows unit owners in planned community associations and homeowners associations to withhold legal fees from assessments claimed by associations pending decision in an arbitration or court proceeding in which the owner has filed for a determination of the validity of the amounts and attorney's fees claimed by the association.

Amends penalties pertaining to certain medical marijuana prohibitions. Repeals certain medical marijuana prohibitions. Makes conforming amendments.

Allows a defendant convicted of certain prostitution offenses to file a motion to vacate the conviction if the defendant is not subsequently convicted of any offense under the penal code within three years after the date of the original conviction. Repeals certain requirements pertaining to filing a motion to vacate, including the burden of proof, and exclusions of certain convictions of certain prostitution offenses.

Increases the minimum wage to $12.00 per hour beginning 1/1/2020 and $14.00 per hour beginning 1/1/2022.