STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1295

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 798

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development & Business, to which was referred S.B. No. 798, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TELECOMMUTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage, promote, and increase efforts to adopt telecommuting as a workplace alternative by establishing within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism a temporary Telecommuting Task Force (Task Force) that shall, among other things:

(1)  Develop incentives and recommendations to encourage and expand telecommunication opportunities in the public and private sector of the State;

(2)  Develop a public awareness campaign plan;

(3)  Study and analyze the telecommuting policies of the federal government and jurisdictions that are similar in size to Hawaii; and

(4)  Report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature.

The Department of Transportation and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Establishing the Task Force within the Department of Human Resources Development, rather than the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism;

     (2)  Replacing the President of the University of Hawaii with the Chief Information Officer, as a member of the Task Force;

     (3)  Designating the Director of Human Resources Development as the chairperson of the Task Force, rather than having the Task Force members appoint a chairperson from among the membership;

     (4)  Specifying that the Legislative Reference Bureau shall assist the Task Force with finalizing the report that is required to be submitted to the Legislature and the drafting of any proposed legislation; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Business that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 798, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 798, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Business,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair