STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3130

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     H.B. No. 2343

        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 Committee on Labor and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2343, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT OF ORDERS OF WAGE PAYMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to expedite the enforcement of orders of wage payment violations by allowing the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations to file certified copies of the final orders in any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of the Attorney General, and Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund Political Action Committee.

 

     Your Committee finds that under existing law, the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations must file final orders of wage payment exclusively in the circuit court for the order to be enforced and collected upon.  This restriction causes inefficiency in the process, resulting in delayed payments to employees who are entitled to expeditious reimbursement of compensation from their employers who violated wage payment laws.  Your Committee also finds that district courts with expedited processes and deadlines would be a more efficient venue to enforce these orders.  This measure will therefore improve the enforcement process for orders of wage payment violation by allowing the proceedings to be brought in district court.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Making it effective upon its approval; and

 

     (2)  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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2343, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2343, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair