STAND. COM. REP. NO.  359-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2722

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2722 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address unemployment in the State by extending unemployment insurance benefits for eligible individuals who receive a final payment of regular unemployment insurance benefits within a certain period.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; and ILWU Local 142 supported this measure.  BIA-Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Allowing for additional benefits to be used for claimants to complete vocational training or retraining courses; and

     (2)  Ensuring that the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund does not fall below the adequate reserve level.

     With respect to the unspecified amount of the appropriation in this measure, your Committee respectfully defers to your Committee on Finance to determine the appropriate amount.

     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 H.B. No. 2722, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2722, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair