STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3596

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1849

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1849, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIRING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the State's need to fill positions left vacant when workers retire.

     More specifically, this measure establishes within the Department of Human Resources Development a three-year reclassification and recruitment pilot program to expedite the recruitment and hiring process for critical-to-fill and labor shortage positions.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development and Hawaii Government Employees Association.

     Your Committee finds that much of the State's workforce is aging and retiring from positions that are proving hard to fill.  The need for state workers has out-paced the State's ability to adequately refill positions.  While the Department of Human Resources Development has made significant progress in streamlining employment recruiting and certification, more needs to be done to address the current and projected increase in state worker retirements.  Your Committee believes that a pilot program that expedites the State's recruitment and hiring process for critical-to-fill and labor shortage positions will assist the State in refilling these positions.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing all references to "critical-to-fill and labor shortage positions" to "hard-to-fill positions";

(2)  Clarifying that the Department of Human Resources Development shall also submit annual reports to the Legislature before the convening of the Regular Sessions of 2018, 2019, and 2020; and

(3)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As this measure advances through the legislative process, your Committee requests the Department of Human Resources Development to provide a recommendation on the appropriation amount necessary to effectuate this measure, which may include a recommendation on the number of positions to hire.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1849, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1849, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair