STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 159-26
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2026
RE: H.B. No. 2315
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2026
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2315 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to allow
the Department of Health to establish a three-year Vacation Payout Pilot
Program to liquidate a portion of an employee's earned and accrued vacation
benefits and apply the disbursement to the down payment of a personal primary
residence without the necessity of a separation of service.
Your Committee finds
that the vacancy rates experienced by state government agencies are fueled, in
part, by the State's high cost of living and lack of sufficient affordable
housing. Your Committee further finds
that the down payment is the single greatest barrier to homeownership and that
a potential resource for state employees to fund the down payment may exist in
their earned vacation benefits. This
measure is intended to contribute to the Department of Health's retention
efforts by permitting Department employees the option of a voluntary vacation
leave payout without having to resign, which will allow career employees
equitable access to an earned benefit at the time they need it and not at the
end of their career.
Your
Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000,
to encourage further discussion; and
(2) 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 Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2315, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2315, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair |
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