HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2025

 

COMMITTEE ON LABOR

Rep. Jackson D. Sayama, Chair

Rep. Mike Lee, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Andrew Takuya Garrett

Rep. Sam Satoru Kong

Rep. Jeanne Kapela

Rep. Julie Reyes Oda

 

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Thursday, February 6, 2025

TIME:

9:00 a.m

PLACE:

VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE

Conference Room 309

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

 

Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.

 

A live stream link of all House Standing Committee meetings will be available online

shortly before the scheduled start time.

 

Click here for the live stream of this meeting via YouTube.

 

 

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 158

Status

RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

Allows striking workers to be eligible for unemployment benefits.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 202

Status

RELATING TO THE ADEQUATE RESERVE FUND.

Amends the definition of "adequate reserve fund" for calendar years 2026 through 2028.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 162

Status

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

Authorizes the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to request the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to furnish a list of five qualified and experienced interest arbitrators in the event the parties fail to select the neutral third member of the arbitration panel.  Clarifies that the list of five interest arbitrators may contain arbitrators from both the American Arbitration Association and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

 

LAB, JHA

HB 165

Status

RELATING TO THE HAWAII LABOR RELATIONS BOARD.

Authorizes the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to enforce its own orders.

 

LAB, JHA

HB 423

Status

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Clarifies the process for selecting a certified provider of rehabilitation services.  Requires providers to automatically approve vocational rehabilitation services for an injured employee if those services will likely be required for suitable gainful employment.

 

LAB, CPC

HB 827

Status

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL BENEFITS.

Expands workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters to include coverage for adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system; cancer of the buccal cavity, colon, pharynx, and thyroid; and malignant melanoma.  Specifies that an employer may prove that the cancer or disease was not associated with the firefighting duties to deny medical benefits under workers' compensation law.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 430

Status

RELATING TO INTERNSHIPS.

Permits the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to enter into contracts with eligible employers or registered apprenticeship programs in the private sector to provide on-the-job training to eligible interns.  Provides that the State shall be the responsible employer for purposes of workers' compensation coverage for students or recent graduates in the on-the-job-training work experience program, subject to certain limitations.  Appropriates funds.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 555

Status

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

Requires employers to provide employees with paid breaks.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 159

Status

RELATING TO QUALIFIED COMMUNITY REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.

Clarifies that the civil service exemption for personal service contracts for building, custodial, and grounds maintenance services with qualified community rehabilitation programs shall not cost more than $850,000 in the aggregate per private person or entity, regardless of the number of contracts or qualified community rehabilitation program utilized for the personal service.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 163

Status

RELATING TO REIMBURSEMENT OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES.

Requires the State or a county to reimburse an officer or employee within thirty calendar days of a request for reimbursement for travel costs that the officer or employee loaned to the State or a county.  Requires the State or a county to pay a percentage of interest on the total amount owed to an officer or employee until the loan is fully reimbursed.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 164

Status

RELATING TO INDEBTEDNESS TO THE STATE.

Requires disbursing officers to notify employees within sixty days of making a determination that an indebtedness has occurred  to the government resulting from salary or wage overpayment.  Amends the amount that a disbursing officer may deduct from an employee's salary, wage, or compensation based on the employee's gross income.

 

LAB, FIN

HB 847

Status

RELATING TO HAWAII RETIREMENT SAVINGS ACT.

Clarifies the definition of "covered employer" under the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act.  Requires covered employers to automatically enroll covered employees into the Hawaii Retirement Savings Program unless the employee chooses to opt out.  Repeals the limit on the total fees and expenses that can be spent for the Program each year.  Appropriates funds to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for the development and operation of the Program.

 

LAB, FIN

 

 

 

 

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

 

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FOR AMENDED NOTICES:  Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are bolded.

 

For more information, please contact the Committee Clerk at (808) 586-6900.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. Jackson D. Sayama

Chair