STAND. COM. REP. NO. 576

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 969

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 969 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to the Department of Human Resources Development to pay workers' compensation claims required under chapter 386, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development.

     Your Committee finds that a critical funding crisis exists within the Department of Human Resources Development and that an emergency appropriation is warranted to enable the Department to meet its legal obligation to pay the workers' compensation benefits that are due to State of Hawaii employees who sustain work-related injuries and illnesses during fiscal year 2016-2017.

     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 S.B. No. 969 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair