STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2480

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3296

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 S.B. No. 3296 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REMOTE WORK,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Human Resources Development to:

(1) Conduct a remote work study;

(2) Review any recent remote work studies done by the counties;

(3) Develop and administer a remote work program; and

(4) Submit the study to the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development, County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development, Hawaiʻi Workforce Founders Collaborative, Housing Hawaiʻi's Future, Holomua Collaborative, Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!, Kobayashi Group, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, HPM Building Supply, Mana Up, Title Guaranty Hawaii, and three individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committees find that remote work is important within modern working environments and strong remote work infrastructure allows for increased affordability and accessibility. Your Committees also find that remote work has the added benefit of allowing participating employees to work from more rural areas where housing is more affordable. This measure will help identify state jobs that are suitable for remote work and connects them to workers in areas of Hawaii where jobs are more scarce, but housing is more affordable.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

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

(2) 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 S.B. No. 3296, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3296, 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