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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2217 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT VACANCIES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Hawaii has felt the adverse impacts of national and global economies that have seen rising unemployment. Hawaii's unemployment rate was six and a half per cent in November 2011. In contrast to this high level of unemployment, there remain over three thousand vacancies among state job positions. Some positions have been vacant for decades. The average vacant state position has been unfilled for a mean length of about nine hundred forty days and a median length of about seven hundred forty-six days. Over forty-eight thousand individuals are employed with the State.
The State recognizes that maintaining a job position that may never be filled is an inefficient use of funds, time, and human resources.
The purpose of this Act is to help encourage state agencies to hire qualified applicants in a timely manner, and to eliminate unnecessary positions by requiring state agencies to fill positions within ten years after a vacancy.
SECTION 2. Chapter 37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§37- Job vacancy elimination. (a) A state agency shall inform the director of finance of any position in the state agency that has remained vacant for a continuous period of at least ten years by including a report on the position in the estimate of expenses submitted to the director of finance under section 37-34. The director of finance may consider the vacancy in the director's determination of each department's budget allotment under section 37-35 and may reduce the amount allotted to the state agency accordingly.
(b) If a state agency wants to retain an unfilled position included in the estimate of expenses submitted to the director of finance under section 37-34, the state agency shall give the director of finance specific and valid reasons for retaining the position.
(c) If the director of finance determines that the reasons given by the state agency for retaining a vacant position are insufficient, the director of finance shall inform the state agency of why the reasons for retaining the position submitted by the state agency are insufficient and shall eliminate the position and reduce the amount allotted to the state agency accordingly.
(d) The director of finance shall report each quarter on actions taken under this section to the legislature in the manner provided under section 93-16.
(e) As used in this section:
"State agency" means any executive department, independent commission, board, agency, authority, bureau, office, or other establishment of the state government, except the legislature and the judiciary, or any quasi-public institution which is supported in whole or in part by state funds."
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2012.
Report Title:
Budget; Removal of Vacant Positions
Description:
Requires State agencies to fill job positions within ten years after a vacancy; requires the automatic removal of funds for positions vacant longer than ten years. Effective July 1, 2012. (HB2217 HD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.