STAND. COM. REP. NO. 52-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2199

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 Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 2199 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Rename the "Hawaii Workforce Development Council" to the "Hawaii Workforce Development Board";

(2) Require the Hawaii Workforce Development Board and local workforce development boards to develop written conflict of interest policies consistent with federal law and regulations;

(3) Require the Hawaii Workforce Development Board to assist the Governor in coordinating local workforce development boards to improve the workforce development system; and

(4) Repeal the requirement for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to submit an annual report to the Legislature on the activities of the K-12 Agriculture Workforce Development Pipeline Initiative.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Hawaiʻi Workforce Funders Collaborative; IATSE Local 665; and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and one individual.

Your Committee finds that state workforce development boards across the country assist their respective governors by reviewing statewide policies and programs and making recommendations to align workforce, education, training, and employment funding programs in a manner that supports a comprehensive and streamlined workforce development system. By conforming Hawaii's workforce development board statutes with the conflict of interest and other provisions found in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and other federal regulations, this measure works toward the development and continuous improvement of the workforce development system in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2199, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2199, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Government Operations,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair