STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3538

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2472

       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. 2472, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for five permanent, full-time equivalent labor law enforcement specialists and expenses related to these positions.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Construction Alliance, Hawaii Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, Hawaii State AFL-CIO, and one individual.  Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the General Contractors Association of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the Wage Standards Division of Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has a backlog of complaints.  Accordingly, your Committee believes that reestablishing and funding five labor law enforcement specialist positions will restore the Division's ability to effectively enforce Hawaii's wage laws, including laws regarding wages on public works that use taxpayer funds.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by:

     (1)  Changing the amount of the appropriation from $249,864 to an unspecified amount; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2076, to facilitate further discussion on this measure.

     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. 2472, 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. 2472, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair