STAND. COM. REP. NO.  887-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2122

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2122, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enhance employment security by:

(1)  Increasing the maximum potential unemployment benefits from 26 to 39 times the eligible individual's weekly benefit amount for individuals who are separated from service on or after March 7, 2016; and

(2)  Requiring eligible individuals terminated or laid-off by Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company to complete a training or retraining program to receive the maximum potential unemployment benefits.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Credit Union League, and Building Industry Association of Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, ILWU Local 142, and The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2122, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2122, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair