STAND. COM. REP. NO. 993

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1141

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1141, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate the administration of workers' compensation matters for the Hawaii State Public Library System.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Transfers to the Department of Human Resources Development all rights, powers, functions, duties, and resources of the Department of Education relating to workers compensation for the Hawaii State Public Library System and its employees; and

(2) Appropriates moneys to the Department of Human Resources Development for the administration and costs of workers compensation for the Hawaii State Public Library System.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Public Library System.

Your Committee finds that since 2012, the Department of Human Resources Development has managed and administered the workers' compensation claims of the public library employees through memoranda of agreement, but the Department of Human Resources Development has not received any additional staff or funding from the Department of Education for these administrative responsibilities. Your Committee finds that the official transfer of duties and related appropriations, as proposed by this measure, will help the Department of Human Resources Development more effectively fulfill these responsibilities.

Your Committee recognizes that the Hawaii State Public Library System has requested that, if its budget for workers' compensation claims and payments is transferred to the Department of Human Resources Development, approximately $50,000 remain with the System to address workers’ compensation claims for employees that are currently processed through the State payroll system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes 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. 1141, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1141, 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