STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1958

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 58

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Technology, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 58 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS TO COMPLETE A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ITS POLICIES ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to complete a comparative study of its policies on youth employment and federal requirements for youth employment under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from HawaiiKidsCan, Hawaii Work-Based Learning Policy Hui, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Your Committee finds that the feasibility study requested by this measure is intended to broaden work-based opportunities for students in the State. Your Committee further finds that not only do certain work-based learning opportunities provide students with exposure and experience to later obtain high-quality, high-paying jobs, but they can also give certain employers the chance to recruit and grow their workforce through mentoring and training the next generation of workers. According to testimony received by your Committee, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations does not currently have the capacity to take on additional responsibilities. This measure is necessary to determine how to best support career readiness experiences shared between students, employers, and other stakeholders.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that:

(A) States that resources exist across the State for students to participate in public and private work-based learning opportunities;

(B) Requests the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to examine policies that will broaden work-based learning opportunities for students;

(C) Requests that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations report on what practices and policies would enable the State to streamline access to work-based learning opportunities that provide students with advantages in the Hawaii job market; and

(D) Encourages the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to work with partners, such as Hawaii P-20 and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, for additional research capacity and support, if needed;

(2) Updating the list of certified copy recipients to include the Executive Director of the Workforce Development Council;

(3) Amending the title accordingly; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 58, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 58, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor and Technology,

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SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair