STAND. COM. REP. NO. 472

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 430

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 430 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERNSHIPS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an on-the-job training work experience program for eligible interns that partners with private entities to increase opportunities for high school and college and university students to participate in summer internship programs;

(2) Establish internships with private sector employers through a cost‑sharing strategy; and

(3) Appropriate funds to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for the purposes administering this program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; University of Hawaiʻi System; Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Kohala Coast Resort Association; Kapolei Chamber of Commerce; and Maui Chamber of Commerce. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that internship and mentorship programs give students the chance to build communication skills, relationships, and confidence, while gaining valuable work experience that will build a stronger workforce. Your Committee further finds that expanding state-funded internships to include private-sector positions will benefit the State by promoting economic growth, fostering public-private collaborations, and supporting job creation. Your Committee believes that this measure will create opportunities for interns to gain practical work experience and prepare for their future careers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Allowing an extension of up to eight weeks for high school students during the summer break;

(2) Excluding from eligibility apprentices who are in a registered apprenticeship program;

(3) Requiring interns to pass a criminal background check;

(4) Requiring employers will provide equitable conditions to interns as they do to regular employees;

(5) Requiring employers to consult with the Department of Education to obtain assistance for an intern who requires support services to complete a task;

(6) Increasing the maximum of working hours for high school student during the summer break to forty hours;

(7) Limiting the maximum working hours for college students who are enrolled in at least two college courses;

(8) Clarifying the intent for workers' compensation coverage for students by the State is for the proposed internship program;

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

(10) 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 430, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 430, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair