STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1019-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2017

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2017 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to amend the workers' compensation law to require that a vocational rehabilitation provider first determine if modified or other work suitable for gainful employment with the employee's present employer is available before pursuing employment opportunities with another employer or providing training to obtain employment in another occupational field.

     The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and ILWU Local 142 testified in support of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2017 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair