Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 939 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the Department of Human Resources Development from eliminating the social worker series classification.

This measure also restores the worker class if eliminated before the effective date of this Act.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the National Association of Social Workers, the School of Social Work of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and six individuals. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services, the Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD), the Department of Health, and the Hawaii Paroling Authority.

Your Committees find that on May 1, 2004, DHRD eliminated the social worker classification and replaced it with a social worker/human services professional (SW/HSP) classification. This reclassification occurred subsequent to the Legislature's passage of S.C.R. 127, C.D.1, wherein the Legislature sought the delay of the reclassification pending consultation and coordination with various interested groups. The reclassification was accomplished presumably to address the current shortage of qualified individuals to serve as social workers within the State. However, your Committees determine that the reclassification acts to divest social workers with advanced degrees in social work of their well-earned title, by also allowing individuals without degrees to be referred to as social workers under the SW/HSP class.

Your Committees believe that the Legislature has previously recognized the services provided by social workers and the uniqueness of their status. In recognition of the foregoing, your Committees believe that social workers with advanced degrees in social work should be placed in a separate class which acknowledges and appreciates their specialized education and training, while also recognizing the knowledge and abilities of those in social work positions prior to May 1, 2004.

Finally, your Committees find that the reclassification of the social worker series included a new parole officer series. Your Committees recognize the difficulties faced by the Hawaii Paroling Authority in recruiting qualified individuals and believes that this class should not be affected by any changes in the SW/HSP class.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 939, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 939, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.