STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1017-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2420

      S.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2420, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECKS FOR STATE AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote public safety and information security by:

     (1)  Authorizing the counties to conduct criminal history record checks on prospective employees who:

          (A)  Work with children in community-based programs; or

          (B)  Work in fire department or emergency medical services positions that involve contact with vulnerable adults;

     (2)  Authorizing the State and the counties to conduct criminal history record checks on employees, prospective employees, volunteers, and contractors whose positions require unescorted access to secured areas and equipment related to a traffic management center;

     (3)  Authorizing the counties to conduct criminal history record checks on individuals involved in an agency's information technology operation whose position provides them with access to sensitive or confidential information; and

     (4)  Expressly allowing the counties unrestricted inquiry into the criminal history of prospective employees for positions involving the handling of firearms for other than law enforcement purposes, by exempting the counties from restrictions that:

          (A)  Allow these inquiries only after the individual has received a conditional job offer; and

          (B)  Limit these inquiries to the most recent ten-year period.

The Department of Transportation, Department of Human Resources Development, and Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee notes that a similar measure, H.B. No. 1975, H.D. 1 is being considered by the Senate.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2420, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair