Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii House Bill HB209 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 209 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
2	2
3	3	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 209
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
6	6
7	7	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8	8
9	9	H.B. NO.
10	10
11	11	209
12	12
13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
14	14
15	15
16	16
17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
18	18
19	19
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29
30	30
31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35
36	36
37	37	relating to WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
44	44
45	45
46	46
47	47	SECTION 1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "Chapter Hawaii state fellows program § -1 Definitions. As used in this chapter: "Department" means the department of human resources development. "Program" means the Hawaii state fellows program. "State agency" means the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of state government, including departments, offices, divisions, or other agencies within the executive, legislative, or judicial branches. § -2 Hawaii state fellows program; established. (a) There is established within the department the Hawaii state fellows program to match talented applicants with full-time, paid fellowship roles in various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months to attract and retain government workers in the State. (b) The program shall include but not be limited to the following: (1) Full-time, paid employment opportunities for eligible applicants to work on a broad range of public policy issues and projects within various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months; (2) Career and leadership skills development trainings, workshops, and seminars; (3) A mentorship program structure; and (4) Feedback and evaluation mechanisms to allow fellows, participating state agencies, and other stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of the program in achieving its goals. (c) The department, in consultation with the department of labor and industrial relations, shall coordinate with state agencies to: (1) Establish full-time, paid fellowship roles to be offered through the program that offer professional development and hands-on experience in state governance; (2) Establish administrative policies and procedures for the implementation of the program and the integration of fellowship roles into the state government workflow; (3) Promote the program; and (4) Recruit eligible applicants. (d) The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this chapter. § -3 Hawaii state fellows program; minimum qualifications; preference. (a) To be eligible for the program, applicants shall meet the following minimum qualifications: (1) Completed a bachelor's degree by September 1 of the fellowship year; (2) Earned a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 or higher or a grade point average of 2.5 or higher in the last sixty semester units or ninety quarter units; (3) Be twenty years of age or older by September 1 of the fellowship year; (4) Be capable and prepared for full-time employment; and (5) Be authorized to work in the United States for the duration of the fellowship program; provided that an applicant who is not a United States citizen shall provide proof of appropriate immigration status. An applicant that requires a F-1 or J-1 work visa, or any work permit requiring participation in the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system, shall not be eligible for the program. (b) To apply for the program, eligible applicants shall submit: (1) A completed online application; (2) A personal statement or policy statement that addresses the applicant's commitment to serving the State; (3) A resume; (4) The names of three individuals who will serve as references; (5) A minimum of two letters of recommendation; and (6) Transcripts from each college and university attended. (c) The department shall give preference to eligible program applicants that have: (1) Pre-existing ties to the State; or (2) A demonstrated commitment to long-term leadership in the State." SECTION 2. The department of human resources development shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026 on the status and results of the Hawaii state fellows program, including: (1) The number of fellows that applied and participated in the program; (2) Key accomplishments of the program; and (3) The budget and expenditures of the program. SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the Hawaii state fellows program. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human resources development for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
48	48
49	49	SECTION 1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
50	50
51	51	"Chapter
52	52
53	53	Hawaii state fellows program
54	54
55	55	§ -1 Definitions. As used in this chapter:
56	56
57	57	"Department" means the department of human resources development.
58	58
59	59	"Program" means the Hawaii state fellows program.
60	60
61	61	"State agency" means the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of state government, including departments, offices, divisions, or other agencies within the executive, legislative, or judicial branches.
62	62
63	63	§ -2 Hawaii state fellows program; established. (a) There is established within the department the Hawaii state fellows program to match talented applicants with full-time, paid fellowship roles in various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months to attract and retain government workers in the State.
64	64
65	65	(b) The program shall include but not be limited to the following:
66	66
67	67	(1) Full-time, paid employment opportunities for eligible applicants to work on a broad range of public policy issues and projects within various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months;
68	68
69	69	(2) Career and leadership skills development trainings, workshops, and seminars;
70	70
71	71	(3) A mentorship program structure; and
72	72
73	73	(4) Feedback and evaluation mechanisms to allow fellows, participating state agencies, and other stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of the program in achieving its goals.
74	74
75	75	(c) The department, in consultation with the department of labor and industrial relations, shall coordinate with state agencies to:
76	76
77	77	(1) Establish full-time, paid fellowship roles to be offered through the program that offer professional development and hands-on experience in state governance;
78	78
79	79	(2) Establish administrative policies and procedures for the implementation of the program and the integration of fellowship roles into the state government workflow;
80	80
81	81	(3) Promote the program; and
82	82
83	83	(4) Recruit eligible applicants.
84	84
85	85	(d) The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this chapter.
86	86
87	87	§ -3 Hawaii state fellows program; minimum qualifications; preference. (a) To be eligible for the program, applicants shall meet the following minimum qualifications:
88	88
89	89	(1) Completed a bachelor's degree by September 1 of the fellowship year;
90	90
91	91	(2) Earned a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 or higher or a grade point average of 2.5 or higher in the last sixty semester units or ninety quarter units;
92	92
93	93	(3) Be twenty years of age or older by September 1 of the fellowship year;
94	94
95	95	(4) Be capable and prepared for full-time employment; and
96	96
97	97	(5) Be authorized to work in the United States for the duration of the fellowship program;
98	98
99	99	provided that an applicant who is not a United States citizen shall provide proof of appropriate immigration status. An applicant that requires a F-1 or J-1 work visa, or any work permit requiring participation in the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system, shall not be eligible for the program.
100	100
101	101	(b) To apply for the program, eligible applicants shall submit:
102	102
103	103	(1) A completed online application;
104	104
105	105	(2) A personal statement or policy statement that addresses the applicant's commitment to serving the State;
106	106
107	107	(3) A resume;
108	108
109	109	(4) The names of three individuals who will serve as references;
110	110
111	111	(5) A minimum of two letters of recommendation; and
112	112
113	113	(6) Transcripts from each college and university attended.
114	114
115	115	(c) The department shall give preference to eligible program applicants that have:
116	116
117	117	(1) Pre-existing ties to the State; or
118	118
119	119	(2) A demonstrated commitment to long-term leadership in the State."
120	120
121	121	SECTION 2. The department of human resources development shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026 on the status and results of the Hawaii state fellows program, including:
122	122
123	123	(1) The number of fellows that applied and participated in the program;
124	124
125	125	(2) Key accomplishments of the program; and
126	126
127	127	(3) The budget and expenditures of the program.
128	128
129	129	SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the Hawaii state fellows program.
130	130
131	131	The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human resources development for the purposes of this Act.
132	132
133	133	SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
134	134
135	135
136	136
137	137	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
138	138
139	139	INTRODUCED BY:
140	140
141	141	_____________________________
142	142
143	143
144	144
145	145
146	146
147	147	Report Title: DHRD; DLIR; Workforce Development; State Agencies; Employment; Hawaii State Fellows Program; Report; Appropriations Description: Establishes the Hawaii State Fellows Program within the Department of Human Resources Development to match talented applicants with full-time, paid fellowship roles in various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months. Establishes minimum qualifications and procedures for eligible applicants to apply to the program. Gives preference to eligible program applicants who have pre-existing ties to the State or a demonstrated commitment to long-term leadership in the State. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, to coordinate with state agencies to implement and promote the program. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
148	148
149	149
150	150
151	151
152	152
153	153
154	154
155	155	Report Title:
156	156
157	157	DHRD; DLIR; Workforce Development; State Agencies; Employment; Hawaii State Fellows Program; Report; Appropriations
158	158
159	159
160	160
161	161	Description:
162	162
163	163	Establishes the Hawaii State Fellows Program within the Department of Human Resources Development to match talented applicants with full-time, paid fellowship roles in various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months. Establishes minimum qualifications and procedures for eligible applicants to apply to the program. Gives preference to eligible program applicants who have pre-existing ties to the State or a demonstrated commitment to long-term leadership in the State. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, to coordinate with state agencies to implement and promote the program. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
164	164
165	165
166	166
167	167
168	168
169	169
170	170
171	171	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.