CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 184

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 867

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 867, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to support critical government functions by facilitating and expediting the recruiting and hiring of the most talented and qualified staff to support these functions.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes an experimental modernization administrative officer position within the Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) to facilitate and expedite the recruitment and hiring for civil service positions under DHRD's jurisdiction, and to direct experimental modernization projects as required by law;

(2) Establishes an experimental modernization project within DHRD to address recruitment problems faced by the State's executive departments and requires DHRD to submit a report on the project to the Legislature prior to the 2020 Regular Session; and

(3) Appropriates funds to establish the experimental modernization project, including the hiring of staff to implement the project.

After careful consideration in advancing a measure to support critical government functions and services with optimal staffing and a high-performing workforce, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting provisions that establish an experimental modernization project within DHRD and the corresponding appropriation to establish the project;

(2) Deleting provisions that establish an experimental modernization administrative officer position and the corresponding appropriation for full-time positions to implement the project;

(3) Establishing an administrative assistant position within DHRD to, among other things, facilitate and expedite the hiring and recruitment for civil service positions under DHRD's jurisdiction, and to reclassify and abolish state department and agency positions, subject to certain conditions;

(4) Appropriating funds for each year of Fiscal Biennium 2019-2021 to DHRD for the following expenditures of HRD102: workforce attraction, selection, classification, and effectiveness, including a permanent full-time position for the administrative assistant and two full-time senior recruiter positions, and to support DHRD's learning management system upgrade;

(5) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2019; and

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

While your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by removing funding for a recruitment modernization program proposed by the Senate, your Committee on Conference agrees that the pilot project should continue. It also agrees that DHRD is responsible for providing leadership and assistance to state departments to recruit and retain the best and brightest employees necessary to fill critical vacancies and that DHRD is strongly urged to continue a recruitment modernization program to the extent that resources allow. The recruitment modernization program facilitates a collaboration between DHRD and other state departments to identify solutions to problems in recruitment, which include streamlining the recruitment process; simplifying class specifications, including minimum qualifications; and developing competitive salary programs. Your Committee on Conference finds that such efforts may be further enhanced through collaboration with the Legislature during the interim and that funding for this project may be reconsidered during the 2020 Regular Session.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 867, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 867, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI Chair	____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON Co-Chair
____________________________ SHARON Y. MORIWAKI Co-Chair	____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE Co-Chair