STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3210

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2217

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2217, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish workforce development working groups and develop training programs and to appropriate funds for this purpose.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that it is important for Hawaii to focus its efforts in developing training programs to support the workforce.  Your Committee believes that a strong workforce is necessary to strengthen Hawaii's economy.  Investing in Hawaii's human resources will bring outside development and attract foreign industries to Hawaii and ensure the continuation of these new investments through a supply of educated workers who are well-equipped to fulfill a variety of positions.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the department's duty to include certain types of representatives on the working groups is triggered by the department exercising its authority to establish the working groups.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2217, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2217, H.D. 2, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair