STAND. COM. REP. NO. 356

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1491

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1491 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPARTMENTAL DATA SHARING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Add the Department of Taxation to the list of state agencies required to share data and determine the data to be shared through the Statewide Longitudinal Data System to support research and evaluation that will improve outcomes throughout the early education to workforce pipeline; and

(2) Require the data shared by the Department of Taxation to be aggregated or anonymized.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System, Department of Taxation, and Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that data sharing is a powerful informational tool to track efficiency, progress, and outcomes between departments within the government, allowing for more effective policymaking. However, the State's existing Longitudinal Data System does not require the participation of certain key departments, leaving gaps in the information that can be gathered and utilized. This measure expands the statewide data-sharing system to include the Department of Taxation as a participant to allow for a more accurate analysis of the state's workforce.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the list of state agencies required to share data and determine the data to be shared through the Statewide Longitudinal Data System;

(2) Inserting an effective data of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion;

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1491, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1491, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair