STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1274

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.C.R. No. 226

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 226 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO EVALUATE THE IMPACTS THAT THE NEXTERA ENERGY MERGER MAY HAVE ON HAWAII WORKERS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect local jobs in Hawaii's energy industries by requesting the State Auditor to perform an evaluation of the impact that the NextEra Energy merger with Hawaiian Electric Industries may have on Hawaii's workers in the energy industries and report findings to the Legislature.  This evaluation is requested to include the possibilities of:

(1)  Transitioning current workers into new jobs in the field of renewable energy;

(2)  Incentivizing current companies to transition into new areas of "renewable electrical energy" using their current workforce;

(3)  Incentivizing companies to continue sustainable employment for workers directly affected by the merger; and

(4)  Deterring companies involved in the energy industry from acting in ways that may be detrimental to Hawaii's workers and the community.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1260 testified in support of this measure.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 226 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair