STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1230-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2845

      S.D. 1

      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 Economic Revitalization & Business, to which was referred S.B. No. 2845, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL BENEFITS UNDER THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations to render a decision on disputes regarding treatment plans and continued medical services without a hearing within 30 days of the filing of a dispute.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, ILWU Local 142, Plumbers and Fitters Union, and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  The United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO, and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, supported the intent of this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Society for Human Resource Management – Hawaii Chapter, and Property Casualty Insurers Association of America opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to facilitate further discussion.

     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 S.B. No. 2845, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2845, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair