STAND. COM. REP. 1123

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 837

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 837, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to address critical needs of private industry and promote business development by clarifying the duties of the Workforce Development Council (WDC).

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations testified in support of this bill. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee supports the efforts of the WDC and recognizes that, to compete in the global economy, Hawaii must develop a workforce with high-demand, cross-functional skill sets. However, your Committee finds that benchmarks must be established to determine whether WDC's goals are being met.

After careful consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by requiring:

    1. DBEDT to submit an annual report to the Legislature on its efforts to increase the number of high-skilled jobs in targeted industries;
    2. WDC to include in the comprehensive state plan for workforce development:
    3. (A) The number of placements of individuals into higher-skilled jobs;

      (B) The identification of high-demand areas for job growth; and

      (C) The need for skilled workers in the next five and ten years;

    4. WDC to review and assess the coordination between state and federal workforce development programs and the placements of workers in higher-skilled jobs;
    5. WDC to establish reporting requirements for job placement results by category of occupations in high-demand and high-growth areas; and
    6. WDC to include in its annual report information relating to the number of individuals placed in high-demand or high-growth employment through workforce development programs by departments, and allocations of state, federal, and other funding to achieve placements into higher-skilled jobs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 837, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 837, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor and Public Employment,

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair