STAND. COM. REP. NO. 840

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1065

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SKILLS-BASED HIRING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the high number of personnel vacancies in state and county government.

Specifically, this measure prohibits the State or any of its departments, agencies, or political subdivisions from requiring a bachelor's degree as a condition of eligibility for hire.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Human Resources Development, and Hawaii State Public Library System.

Your Committee finds that approximately thirty percent of current state employees will be eligible for retirement in the next five years.  To help expeditiously fill these expected vacancies, maintain crucial government services, and keep pace with the broader labor market, your Committee finds that the State must focus on skills-based hiring.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date from July 1, 2050, to upon the measure's approval; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair