Report Title:

Employment and Training Fund; Employer Training; Incentives

Description:

Allows moneys in the employment and training fund to be used for employers to train their own employees, incentives for employers to train residents in skills in critically short supply, and incentives for employers to train workers recently unemployed or likely to be unemployed.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1250

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to NEW ECONOMY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the "New Economy" is a knowledge- and idea-based economy where the key to higher standards of living and job creation is the extent to which innovative ideas and technologies are embedded in services, products, and manufacturing processes. Its characteristics include an increase in knowledge-based jobs, higher levels of entrepreneurial dynamism and competition, faster times to market, increased product and service diversity, constant technological innovation, globalization, the replacement of hierarchical organization structures with networked learning organizations, and relentless economic churning. As Hawaii embarks on its aggressive economic agenda, it is imperative that our entrepreneurs, investors, and business have the necessary tools to prosper in the New Economy.

The legislature further finds now more than ever that Hawaii's public policies and legislative initiatives must foster not only a positive business climate, but provide the necessary building blocks for competing in the New Economy. Workforce development, investing in our public schools and the University of Hawaii, creation of business incentives to further investment in high-technology companies, ensuring availability of investment capital, and modernizing government operations are essential acts that need to be further developed. The result will be an economic infrastructure and culture that breeds innovation, entrepreneurship, investment, creativity, and knowledge-based jobs that ultimately lead to higher wages, enhanced quality of life, and economic prosperity for Hawaii.

The purpose of this Act is to support improvement of Hawaii's workforce by allowing employment and training fund moneys to be used for training programs by employers for their own employees and for incentives for employers to provide additional training opportunities.

SECTION 2. Section 383-128, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) The moneys in the employment and training fund may be used for funding:

(1) The operation of the state employment service for which no federal funds have been allocated;

(2) Business-specific training programs to create a more diversified job base and to carry out the purposes of the new industry training program pursuant to section 394-8;

(3) Industry or employer-specific training programs where there are critical skill shortages in high growth occupational or industry areas;

(4) Training and retraining programs to assist workers who have become recently unemployed or likely to be unemployed;

(5) Programs to assist residents who do not otherwise qualify for federal or state job training programs to overcome employment barriers; [and]

(6) Training programs to provide job-specific skills for individuals in need of assistance to improve career employment prospects[.];

(7) Training and training programs conducted by employers to train their own employees;

(8) Incentives for employers to train residents in skills that are in critically short supply; and

(9) Incentives for employers to provide training programs to workers recently unemployed or likely to be unemployed."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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