STAND. COM. REP. NO. 36

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 64

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 64 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS APPEALS BOARD,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board to use a hearings officer.

 

     Testimony in support was submitted by one state agency and two organizations.

 

     Your Committee finds that the hearings officer afforded by this measure would enable expedited resolution of time-sensitive matters on appeal from decisions of the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations and allow the use of current staff and resources more effectively, which is particularly important during these difficult fiscal times.  On average, six hundred decisions and orders of the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations are appealed annually.  This includes the appeal of treatment plan, vocational rehabilitation, and temporary total disability issues.  With the authority granted by this measure, both hearings officer and the Board will hear appeals, which will enable the Board to make a bigger dent in its caseload and afford it the ability to fast-track the consideration of matters for which time is of the essence.  As such, this measure will benefit both employers and employees in the consideration of workers' compensation issues.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 64 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor,

 

		____________________________ DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair