STAND. COM. REP. NO.  172-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1982

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1982 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CUSTOMER SERVICE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to improve customer services at state agencies by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) to develop and implement a pilot program using informed customers to investigate customer service at state agencies; and

 

     (2)  Appropriating funds for the establishment of this pilot program.

 

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) testified in support of this bill.  The Ombudsman commented on this measure.

 

     While most employees and agencies of the State provide good customer service, complaints have been made regarding customer service issues by members of the public when accessing various state services.  This "secret shopper" type pilot program is intended to provide constructive feedback on how well the public is being served by employees and agencies of the State.

 

     However, your Committee understands the concerns raised by the Ombudsman that, as currently written, this measure may be too broad which may make it difficult for the Ombudsman to complete this project in a timely manner.  Your Committee further recognizes the concerns raised by HGEA that information gathered by this pilot program not be used to discipline employees.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Restricting its scope to investigating the customer service of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority;

 

     (2)  Prohibiting the use of information gathered by the pilot program to criticize individual employees; and

 

     (3)  Amending the date by which the report written by the Ombudsman shall be submitted to the Legislature to 20 days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2009, rather than 2011.

 

     Other technical, nonsubstantive amendments were made for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1982, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1982, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair