STAND. COM. REP. NO.  737-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2258

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2258, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL AND VOCATIONAL LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help address unemployment issues faced by Hawaii's service men and women upon separation by allowing professional and vocational licensing authorities to apply military education, training, or service toward the qualifications required to receive a license.

The Oahu Veterans Council; Military Officers Association of America, Hawaii Chapter; and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported this bill.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring that every licensing authority consider the education, training, or service completed by an individual during the individual's tenure in the military or its state-level counterparts;

     (2)  Specifying that the military training or experience will satisfy a licensing authority's training or experience requirements unless the board determines that it is not substantially equivalent to the standards of the State;

     (3)  Adding a ten-year sunset date;

     (4)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2012; and

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

     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. 2258, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2258, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair