STAND. COM. REP. NO. 518

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 116

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 116 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for two permanent full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) positions in the Disability Compensation Division (Division) of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, including a hearings officer with appropriate medical and legal training and an office assistant.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Department of Human Resources, City and County of Honolulu; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association; Hawaii Insurers Council; ILWU Local 142; and The Pacific Resource Partnership.

     Your Committee finds that the Division has the fiduciary duty to administer the State's workers' compensation program.  Your Committee also finds that additional positions within the Division will allow the Division to expedite operations and increase efficiency to the benefit of injured workers, employers, health providers, insurers, and the State.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 116 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair