Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2215 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to assist the State in meeting personnel shortage needs. Specifically, this bill clarifies that an employee who receives a special retirement incentive benefit may be re-employed with the State in a contract-for-service capacity for a period not to exceed one year without forfeiture of benefits.

The Department of Human Resources Development supported this bill.

Retirees can be an invaluable asset to the State. Your Committee finds that this measure provides state departments with another staffing tool to fill vacant positions with employees with the knowledge and expertise necessary to fulfill the department's mission.

Although concerns were raised that allowing retirees to be rehired without loss of benefits could result in "double-dipping," your Committee notes that the limited duration of the retiree's re-employment provides sufficient safeguards against this practice.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2215, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2215, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.