STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1479

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 120

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Technology, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 120 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS TO COLLECT DATA RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE IN HAWAII, EVALUATE THE COLLECTED DATA, AND DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO PROVIDE BETTER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRAINING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations:

(1) Collect data relating to the development of an information technology workforce in Hawaii;

(2) Evaluate the collected data and develop a strategy to provide better information technology training to individuals and retain them in Hawaii to build a flourishing information technology workforce in Hawaii; and

(3) Submit a report to the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2024.

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

Your Committee finds that the information technology sector has become a significant economic driver in the State that covers a wide range of industries and that the demand for employees currently exceeds the number of available individuals seeking jobs in the information technology sector of Hawaii. Your Committee recognizes that one of the fundamental components in building a robust workforce is the collection of relevant data that will enable better evaluation of available programs and contribute to better planning for the future. This measure would help the State improve various aspects of its workforce development programs to develop a thriving information technology workforce in the State. According to testimony from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, educational institutions, such as the University of Hawaii, are more suited to collect current information on individuals who completed information technology courses, training, or programs, or obtained information technology certificates or licenses; and agencies that produce employment and wage estimates, such as the ones within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, are better suited to derive the average compensation of technology-related jobs in the private and public sectors.

Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that requests the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in collaboration with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the University of Hawaii, to collect data relating to the development of an information technology workforce in Hawaii;

(2) Updating the list of certified copy recipients;

(3) Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 120, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 120, S.D. 1.

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

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SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair