Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 25 – With 60.1 percent of Hawaii’s 66,031 working-age people with disabilities out of work, incumbent Democratic Gov. David Ige, his Republican opponent, State Sen. Andria Tupola and Republican Senate challenger Ron Curtis each responded to a questionnaire by the disabilities advocacy group RespectAbility, outlining their views on training and hiring people with disabilities.
In his responses to 10 questions submitted by the organization, Gov. Ige noted that nationally and in Hawaii, many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities “have been placed in ‘prevocational’ programs and segregated workshops where they are paid sub-minimum wages with little expectation of moving into integrated employment.”