Bill Text: HI SB1115 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To The Department Of Labor And Industrial Relations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-17 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. [SB1115 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2017-SB1115-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1115 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to the department of labor and industrial relations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The department of labor and industrial relations, disability compensation division (the "division"), plans, directs, and coordinates statewide activities relating to the interpretation, implementation, and administration of workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. The division's mission is to provide economic security and stability for Hawaii's workforce through education, enforcement, and adjudication of the workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care laws.
The division's primary objectives include ensuring the efficient processing of claims; the timely provision of medical services and payment of benefits to injured workers; employer compliance with workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care insurance coverage requirements; and monitoring health plans to ensure employees are provided with the benefits that are required under the prepaid health care law.
According to the State of Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Annual Report 2012, the division lost thirty-two per cent of its staff between 2009 and 2012, which adversely affected the division's ability to effectively protect the economic and medical security of the working public for whom workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care laws were intended to provide. For instance, monitoring employer compliance with workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care laws dropped as a result of the loss of two investigator positions; therefore, more employees lost the economic and health care protections afforded to them by these laws.
The reinstatement and funding for two investigator positions in the division is essential to investigate the large number of delinquent employers failing to secure and provide workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care. These delinquent employers expose the workers' compensation special compensation fund, temporary disability insurance special fund, and the prepaid health care premium supplemental fund to greater risks of having to pay workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care to employees who are not covered by their delinquent employers. Inadequate funding for these funds will drive up the costs of workers' compensation and temporary disability insurance for Hawaii's employers. Moreover, shortfalls in the prepaid health care premium supplemental fund would require the appropriation of general fund moneys to sustain the prepaid health care premium supplemental fund.
The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for two full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) enforcement specialist IV positions to be primarily responsible for the enforcement of Hawaii's workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care laws.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 to establish two full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) enforcement specialist IV permanent positions in the department of labor and industrial relations, disability compensation division, to assist with the enforcement of Hawaii's workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care laws.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Disability Compensation Division; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for two full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) enforcement specialist IV positions to be primarily responsible for the enforcement of Hawaii’s workers' compensation, temporary disability insurance, and prepaid health care laws.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
