STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1432-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3142

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 3142, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to add reserve public safety law enforcement officers to the volunteer occupations covered by the workers' compensation law under certain conditions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Department of Public Safety.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Public Safety is poised to begin a volunteer enforcement program to recruit the Department's recent retirees and members of the public to assist the Department with its law enforcement responsibilities. Under this program, volunteer safety law enforcement officers will be trained to the same standard as its full-time officers. Your Committee notes that law enforcement work can be dangerous and there is the possibility that the volunteer public safety reserve officers recruited by the Department could be injured while volunteering. This measure will provide coverage for these volunteers for injuries under specified conditions when incurred in the line of duty.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3142, S.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. 3142, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair