STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3434

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2375

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2375, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEMPORARY DISABILITY INSURANCE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make housekeeping amendments to update statutory provisions relating to temporary disability insurance.  Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Permits advanced practice registered nurses to certify an employee's disability;

 

     (2)  Increases the penalty for employers who fail to submit timely wage and employment information;

 

     (3)  Permits filing of an appeal of a decision on temporary disability insurance at the various statewide offices of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (Department);

 

     (4)  Allows the Department to send notices of hearings electronically or via first-class mail;

 

     (5)  Permits notice of a hearing to be posted on the Department's webpage when notice cannot be delivered; and

 

     (6)  Allows parties to a hearing to appear in person, by telephone, or by other communication device.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 142.

 

     Your Committee finds that this housekeeping measure will update current processes and improve the efficiency of the temporary disability insurance program.  This measure will give employees additional provider choices, especially those residing in rural areas, without sacrificing quality of care, further incentivize compliance with the temporary disability insurance provisions already provided for in law, provide for appeals of temporary disability insurance decisions at a greater variety of more convenient locations, make distribution of hearing notices more efficient, and provide more options for parties to appear at a hearing in cases in which travel to the site of the hearing could be difficult or impracticable.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2375, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair