STAND. COM. REP. NO.  308-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2711

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2711 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to change the amount of federal Reed Act moneys appropriated to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) through Act 190, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 2006, as amended by Act 123, SLH 2007, as follows:

 

     (1)  Allocating an unspecified amount of funds to each of the workforce investment boards on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii;

 

     (2)  Allocating an unspecified amount of funds to be used by the Workforce Development Council to support statewide workforce development activities; and

 

     (3)  Deleting the allocation for administrative expenses.

 

     DLIR testified in opposition to this bill.

 

     Your Committee understands the concerns raised by DLIR regarding the solvency of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (Fund) due to the current strain of high unemployment benefit payouts from the Fund, even without other expenditures from it.

 

     However, at this time when Hawaii is experiencing high rates of unemployment, your Committee finds that efforts to improve the skills of Hawaii's workforce and the additional resources provided through the use of Reed Act funds will go a long way toward ensuring a much-needed strong workforce.  Thus, your Committee believes the provisions of this bill deserve further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2711 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair