Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 507, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow licensed emergency medical technicians employed by the City and County of Honolulu to retire without penalty, regardless of age, after accruing the minimum number of years of credited service.

Specifically, this measure allows a licensed emergency medical technician employed by the City and County of Honolulu to retire without penalty upon accruing:

(1) Thirty years of credited service through June 30, 2003;

of which the last five or more years prior to retirement is credited service as a licensed emergency medical technician.

Your Committee finds that emergency medical technicians perform hazardous, stressful, and physically demanding duties. Despite the nature of their duties, emergency medical technicians are ineligible to retire after twenty-five years of service without penalty, regardless of age, as are other public safety personnel. Your Committee believes that gradually reducing the number of years required for full retirement will enable the City and County of Honolulu to address the current shortage of emergency medical technicians, by recruiting and training qualified candidates, retaining existing licensed personnel, and staggering the retirement of experienced technicians.

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. 507, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.