HB682 HSCR161-02

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.161-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 682

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 682 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTESTS OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH MATTERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to transfer the responsibility to hear Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health (HIOSH) appeals from the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (LIRAB) to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board (HLRB).

HLRB testified in support of this measure. LIRAB submitted comments on the bill.

Currently, cases dealing with HIOSH and workers' compensation issues are under the jurisdiction of LIRAB. This has resulted in a heavy caseload for LIRAB, resulting in a severe backlog in hearings. The resolution of these cases takes several months, and at times, over a year. By allowing HLRB to hear cases involving HIOSH issues, LIRAB will be more able to handle their caseloads on a timely basis.

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 H.B. No. 682 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 and Public Employment,

 

		____________________________ SCOTT SAIKI, Chair