STAND. COM. REP. NO. 964

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 830

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 830, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to update policies for telework and alternative work schedules.

More specifically, this measure requires:

(1) The Department of Human Resources Development to establish a working group to update and create existing and new policies and procedures relating to telework and alternative work schedules to address the caregiving responsibilities and other needs of state employees;

(2) State departments and agencies to cooperate with the working group; and

(3) The working group to submit a report of its proposed telework and alternative work schedule policies and procedures.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Human Resources Development, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Office of Planning, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association and American Association of University Women of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that updated policies for telework and alternative work schedules will help to retain women in the workforce by giving them more employment flexibility to address child care and caregiving needs of their families.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the responsibility of the working group to establish telework and alternative work schedule policies and procedures;

(2) Requiring state departments to adopt Department of Human Resources Development policies that permit state employees to telework while caregiving during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 S.B. No. 830, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 830, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair