STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3669

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2335

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2335, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote hiring flexibility for state departments and to facilitate the employment of qualified individuals in civil service positions.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Deems eligible for internal recruitment within a department or agency an intern with the department or agency who has the requisite work experience;

(2) Authorizes a department, division, or agency, in conducting a minimum qualification review, to make certain determinations regarding an applicant's minimum qualifications; and

(3) Authorizes the director or head of a department, division, or agency to directly hire certain qualified individuals into civil service positions.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development and Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that delays and administrative complexities in the hiring process can result in missed employment opportunities for both applicants and state departments, further exacerbating critical workforce shortages. Your Committee believes that this measure helps address these concerns by streamlining the hiring process for certain civil service positions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making the measure effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2335, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2335, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair