STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3154

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1645

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Technology and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1645, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE POSITION VACANCIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Department of Human Resources Development to submit, as part of its annual report to the Legislature, information and data on vacancies in the Executive Branch.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO and Hawaii Government Employee Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development.

Your Committees find that the State currently has a roughly thirty percent vacancy rate in its Executive Branch workforce, which has led to a severe reduction, both in quantity and quality, in government services provided to the public. Your Committees also find that information on various metrics on the overall and department vacancy rates, steps taken to fill each vacant position, which essential civil service positions that are hard to fill, and the impact on government operations and delivery of service due to a vacant position is paramount in understanding this issue. Therefore, this measure will provide the Legislature with a comprehensive set of metrics to better understand and combat the vacancies in the State's Executive Branch.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the annual reports shall include information on both civil service and exempt positions within the State;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Technology and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1645, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1645, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair

________________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair