STAND. COM. REP. NO. 221-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1832

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1832 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIRING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Allow a state department, division, or agency, rather than the Department of Human Resources Development, to conduct a minimum qualification review of applicants for vacant positions within the department, division, or agency; and

(2) Require the Department of Human Resources Development to provide state departments, divisions, and agencies the applications received for vacancies under certain circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Pacific Health and United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Your Committee finds that the State is facing unprecedented vacancies in state positions. One contributing factor to the number of state job vacancies is the length of time between when a person applies for a state job to when that person receives a response. This measure allows state departments, divisions, and agencies the ability to review their own applicants for vacant positions, speeding up the review process for key positions and lessening the workload for the Department of Human Resources Development.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that state departments, divisions, and agencies may immediately begin interviewing applicants that are determined to meet the minimum qualifications for a vacant position;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 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. 1832, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1832, 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