Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 606 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to transfer the Office of Community Services from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) to the Department of Human Services (DHS).

The Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council, Hawaii Community Action Program Directors Association, and Maui Economic Opportunity submitted testimony in support of this bill. DHS and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.

Your Committee finds that the Office of Community Services would be more appropriately located within DHS than within DLIR. The delivery of services to disadvantaged individuals will be greatly enhanced by this bill, and accountability and responsiveness will be improved significantly by this change.

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. 606 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Human Services and Housing.