STAND. COM. REP. NO.  171-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2377

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2377 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish a two-year limit for the delivery of services in vocational rehabilitation plans for injured employees under workers' compensation law;

 

     (2)  Establish training options for employment in another occupational field when required as part of the injured employee's rehabilitation plan; and

 

     (3)  Make a housekeeping amendment to clarify that all professional and clerical employees of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Rehabilitation Unit are administered by the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations.

 

     The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Human Resources Development, City and County of Honolulu Department of Human Resources, and Hawaii Insurers Council testified in support of this measure.  Numerous individuals opposed this measure.

 

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the two-year limit for delivery of services in vocational rehabilitation plans;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     Your Committee notes that the amendment deleting the two-year limit for vocational rehabilitation plans was mutually agreeable to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and vocational rehabilitation practitioners.

 

     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. 2377, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2377, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair