Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2163, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote the rehiring of retired teachers.

The bill accomplishes this objective by amending Act 308, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, to shorten from two years to one year the minimum length of time a teacher needs to be in retirement in order to be rehired full-time without impact upon the teacher's retirement benefits. Furthermore, this measure extends the sunset of Act 308 from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2007.

Your Committee finds that a one-year waiting period is sufficient to address concerns that in-service teachers should not retire only to immediately return as a rehired retiree. Your Committee further finds that a shorter waiting period will help alleviate the continued teacher shortage.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the extension of the sunset date of Act 308, thereby reinstating the original sunset date of July 1, 2005, and by changing the effective date of this measure to upon approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2163, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2163, S.D. 2.