STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2208

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2946

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 Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2946 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the University of Hawaii to submit to the Legislature annual reports of all university employees who performed work from a location outside of the State during the applicable year no later than December 31 of that year.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System.

Your Committee finds that faculty and staff members of the University of Hawaii are vital to ensure that university operations continue. However, certain faculty and staff members have been working outside of the State for extended periods of time that have raised concerns over payroll and the payment of state taxes. Therefore, this measure ensures greater transparency and accountability of faculty and staff who fulfill responsibilities outside of the State while ensuring continuity of University operations. Your Committee acknowledges the concerns raised by the University of Hawaii regarding the specificity of reporting requirements. As certain faculty and staff members travel for academic conferences, trainings, and directed business that requires out-of-state travel, and that further clarification is needed regarding the level of detail to meet reporting requirements.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the reporting requirement apply only to employees who worked outside of the State for more than sixty consecutive days.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2946, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2946, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair