STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1245

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 921

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 921 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to promote the efficient processing of workers' compensation appeals.

 

     Specifically, this measure authorizes:

 

     (1)  The Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board to take appropriate action to enforce its rules and orders, including the imposition of administrative and monetary sanctions; and

 

     (2)  Workers' compensation litigants to file electronic notices of appeal with the appellate court.

 

     The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board, and ILWU Local 142 provided written comments in support of this measure.

 

Your Committee finds that the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (Board) decides appeals from decisions and orders of the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations issued under the workers' compensation law and any other law for which an appeal to the Board is provided by law.  This measure will enhance the Board's capabilities by providing the Board express authority to enforce its rules and orders.  Further, this measure will improve the processing of the Board's decisions for judicial review by authorizing workers' compensation litigants to electronically file notices of appeal.

 

     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. 921, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair