STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1814-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2520

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2520, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEFENSE OF STATE EMPLOYEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Attorney General to defend professionally licensed or certified state employees in civil actions or proceedings when the employee was acting within the scope of the employee's employment and was not grossly negligent, wanton, or uncooperative;

(2) Clarify that professionally licensed or certified state employees may employ their own attorneys at their own expense; and

(3) Establish a process for the Attorney General to transfer or withdraw representation if the Attorney General declines to defend a professionally licensed or certified state employee.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and Hawaii State AFL-CIO.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2520, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair