STAND. COM. REP. NO. 561

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1415

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1415 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the University of Hawaii to submit annual reports to the Legislature of all University employees who performed work from a location outside of the State during the applicable year.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Stevedores, Inc. and sixty individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committees find that the University of Hawaii supports and allows the use of telework arrangements where appropriate for an employee and consistent with the University's strategic direction and vision, business operations, and resource limitations. While the University of Hawaii provides information relating to employees who work from outside of the State to the Legislature upon the Legislature's request, this information is not otherwise publicly accessible. To increase transparency and accountability concerning public and state employees, this measure requires the University of Hawaii to submit annual reports to the Legislature of all University employees who performed work from a location outside of the State for the applicable year.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language specifying that this measure addresses an issue of statewide concern; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1415, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1415, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Technology,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair