STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1644

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 91

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor, Culture and the Arts and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 91 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OTHER PRINCIPAL DEPARTMENTS, THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE LEGISLATURE, AND THE JUDICIARY TO IMPLEMENT A PILOT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM TO TRAIN NEW EMPLOYEES FOR GOVERNMENT JOBS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Human Resources Development, in conjunction with the other principal departments, Office of the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Legislature, and Judiciary to implement a pilot fellowship program to train new employees for government jobs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and Department of Human Resources Development.

Your Committees find that an informational briefing by your Committee on Ways and Means on February 27, 2019, revealed that there were approximately three thousand five hundred vacant positions across the various state departments, with some departments employing less than seventy-five percent of their allocated positions. Many departments claim that their high vacancy rates are partially due to a lack of qualified candidates possessing the necessary expertise for the vacant job positions. The State does not have a formal process to provide prospective employees with the necessary experiences and expertise for state government jobs. Proper job training that specifically teaches the necessary skill sets for a state job can help to reduce state job vacancies and increase retention rates. Establishing a pilot fellowship program to train new employees for government jobs will enhance the State's ability to recruit prospective employees into a career in public service, increase the competencies of the government workforce, and fill the vacancies in the State.

Your Committees note that funding for this pilot fellowship program should be considered through the proper legislative vehicle.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments, including to its title, for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor, Culture and the Arts and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 91, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 91, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor, Culture and the Arts and Government Operations,

________________________________ LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair

________________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair