HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2016

 

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Rep. Sylvia Luke, Chair

Rep. Scott Y. Nishimoto, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Romy M. Cachola

Rep. Matthew S. LoPresti

Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen

Rep. Nicole E. Lowen

Rep. Lynn DeCoite

Rep. Richard H.K. Onishi

Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson

Rep. James Kunane Tokioka

Rep. Jo Jordan

Rep. Kyle T. Yamashita

Rep. Jarrett Keohokalole

Rep. Feki Pouha

Rep. Bertrand Kobayashi

Rep. Gene Ward

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

TIME:

1:00 P.M.

PLACE:

Conference Room 308

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

A G E N D A # 3

 

HB 2244, HD1

(HSCR25-16)

Status

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Makes various appropriations for various housing programs.

 

 

 

HSG, FIN

HB 1474, HD2

(HSCR3-16)

Status

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Establishes the designation of kiwila pono for employers who permit employees to be absent with pay on Election Day to work at a polling place and for employees who do so.

 

LAB, JUD, FIN

HB 2204, HD1

(HSCR39-16)

Status

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Repeals annual increment and longevity step salary increases for department of education teachers and educational officers and clarifies that such increases shall be determined through collective bargaining.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 1683, HD1

(HSCR353-16)

Status

RELATING TO FAMILY LEAVE.

Permits an employee to use leave under the Hawaii Family Leave Law to care for a sibling. 

 

 

LAB, FIN

HB 1870, HD1

(HSCR355-16)

Status

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Provides a taxpayer who hires a person totally disabled a nonrefundable tax credit for the six-month period after the individual is initially hired by the taxpayer.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2012, HD1

(HSCR361-16)

Status

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

Specifies that the benefits of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund are subject to negotiation. 

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2015, HD1

(HSCR356-16)

Status

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND.

Exempts certain procurements of the EUTF from the procurement code.  Specifies the fiduciary duties of EUTF trustees.  Amends the composition, appointing authorities, vacancy-filling procedure, and quorum requirements of the EUTF board of trustees.  Authorizes the establishment of sub-boards of the EUTF board for the negotiation of contributions that apply only to particular bargaining units.  Authorizes the EUTF board to appoint attorneys independent of the attorney general.  Amends the administration of EUTF moneys and transfers control of EUTF to the office of collective bargaining.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2122, HD1

(HSCR469-16)

Status

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY.

Increases maximum potential unemployment benefits for employees separated from service commencing on or after March 7, 2016.

 

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2722, HD1

(HSCR359-16)

Status

RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT.

Creates a temporary program providing additional benefits to unemployed workers by extending their unemployment insurance benefits.  Makes an appropriation.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2606, HD1

(HSCR344-16)

Status

RELATING TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM.

Establishes a retirement benefit incentive for public employees, otherwise eligible to retire, whose positions are subject to layoff due to the consolidation or abolition of functions, or the privatization of the functions of the position as a result of Act 103 (2015).  Sunsets on June 30, 2017.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2445, HD1

(HSCR362-16)

Status

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

Ensures future ERS benefits for public employees who are terminated from public employment due to the privatization of their positions.

 

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2446, HD1

(HSCR470-16)

Status

RELATING TO SEPARATION BENEFITS.

Authorizes public employees facing position abolishment, reduction-in-force, or workforce restructuring to opt to receive either voluntary severance benefits or a special retirement benefit in lieu of exercising any reduction-in-force rights.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 2596

(HSCR588-16)

Status

RELATING TO THE MACADAMIA FELTED COCCID.

Appropriates moneys to DOA to research and develop methods for the prevention and treatment of macadamia felted coccid.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 1869, HD1

(HSCR585-16)

Status

RELATING TO THE ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture to assist and fund the National Wildlife Research Center with research of the negative impacts of the rose-ringed parakeet on Kauai and development and implementation of a control plan to reduce the negative impacts.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2546, HD1

(HSCR305-16)

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes the Agriculture Grant Program and Agriculture Grant Program Special Fund to provide grants to qualified farmers for certain farming activities.  Makes an appropriation.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2582, HD1

(HSCR553-16)

Status

RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Agriculture to develop and implement an Agricultural Food Safety Certification Program that concurrently complies with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act as it applies to farmers and ranchers.  Authorizes and appropriates funds for program staff.  Effective 7/1/2112.

 

AGR, CPC, FIN

HB 2657, HD1

(HSCR332-16)

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Provides loans from the Maui County Revolving Loan Program to Molokai farmers and ranchers to reimburse costs of mandated food safety compliance audits and other related costs.  Appropriates moneys to the Maui Office of Economic Development to review and approve applications for the loan program.  Takes effect January 20, 2050.

 

AGR/EDB, FIN

HB 2486, HD2

(HSCR480-16)

Status

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes a Kapolei Jobs Initiative Program that offers tax incentives to increase the number of businesses willing to establish or relocate themselves in the Kapolei region.

 

EDB, LAB, FIN

HB 2545, HD1

(HSCR400-16)

Status

RELATING TO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes the high-growth grant program and special fund to provide grants to qualified businesses for certain business development activities.  Makes an appropriation.

 

EDB, FIN

HB 1397, HD1

(HSCR390-16)

Status

RELATING TO NEW MARKET TAX CREDITS.

Expands methods for the delivery of funding by the community-based economic development technical and financial assistance program by allowing guarantees and credit enhancements, as well as providing framework for the capitalization of Community Development Entity.  Increases total maximum funding amounts from $250,000 to $5,000,000.

 

EDB, FIN

HB 2160, HD1

(HSCR393-16)

Status

RELATING TO LIGHT POLLUTION.

Establishes a dark night skies protection advisory committee to assist DBEDT in the development of a statewide dark night skies protection strategy to preserve dark night skies and reduce light pollution.

 

EDB, FIN

 

 

 

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

 

Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.  Testimony should indicate:

·     Testifier's name with position/title and organization;

·     The Committee(s) to which the comments are directed;

·     The date and time of the hearing; and

·     Measure number. 

 

While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may be distributed to the Committee after the hearing.

 

Submit testimony in ONE of the following ways:

PAPER:  2 copies (including an original) to Room 306 in the State Capitol;

FAX:       For testimony less than 5 pages in length, transmit to 1-800-535-3859 (for Neighbor Islander without a computer to submit testimony through e-mail or the Web); or

WEB:     For testimony less than 10MB in size, transmit from http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/submittestimony.aspx.

 

Testimony submitted will be placed on the legislative website.  This public posting of testimony on the website should be considered when including personal information in your testimony.

 

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the House public hearing process (i.e., sign or foreign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-6200 or email your request for an interpreter to HouseInterpreter@Capitol.hawaii.gov at least 24 hours prior to the hearing for arrangements.  Prompt requests submitted help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.

 

Selected meetings are broadcast live.  Check the current legislative broadcast schedule on the "Capitol TV" website at www.capitoltv.org or call 536-2100.

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. Sylvia Luke

Chair