STAND. COM. REP. NO. 906

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1146

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1146, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL SERVICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure the professionalism of social workers by:

(1) Prohibiting the Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) from eliminating or replacing the social worker class that existed on July 1, 2004;

(2) Restoring the social worker class if it is eliminated or replaced before the effective date of this bill;

(3) Requiring that, following the restoration of the social worker class should that class be eliminated, all social workers admitted to this restored class hold an advanced degree, a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in social work;

(4) Requiring that all individuals who meet the qualifications for the restored social worker class who either:

(a) Transferred from the eliminated social worker class; or

(b) Were employed following July 15, 2004, in a class that replaced the eliminated social worker class;

be transferred back to the restored social worker class; and

(5) Directing DHRD to create a new class for those employees who do not meet the qualifications for the restored social worker class and transferring these employees into that new class.

The Hawaii Government Employees Association/AFSCME, the National Association of Social Workers, and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. DHRD, Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Department of Public Safety, and Hawaii Paroling Authority opposed this measure. The Judiciary expressed concerns.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1146, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

____________________________

DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Chair