STAND. COM. REP. NO.  628-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2099

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business, to which was referred H.B. No. 2099 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve the efficiency of the workers' compensation system by allowing attorney's fees to be included in costs that may be assessed against a party who brings, prosecutes, or defends a workers' compensation claim without reasonable grounds.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, ILWU Local 142, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Insurers Council provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2099, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2099, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair