STAND. COM. REP. NO. 361

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 164

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 164 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL LICENSE FEE RENEWALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require each public employer to pay the renewal fee for any professional license held by an employee that is necessary for the employee to carry out the employee's duties.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Collective Bargaining of the Executive Office of the Governor and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that professional licenses are necessary for many public employees to carry out their duties. This measure acknowledges that license renewal fees represent a cost of that public employment and requiring the employer to cover that cost contributes to the stability of the workforce.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring that an employee who ceases employment with the employer that paid the renewal fee to pay back to the employer the amount of the fee that is proportional to the remaining term of the license;

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 164, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 164, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Government Operations,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair