Bill Text: HI SB351 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 351 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Unemployment; Reporting; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-17 - Carried over to 2016 Regular Session. [SB351 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SB351-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	351
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to unemployment.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the department of labor and industrial relations reports figures on the total unemployed population as a percentage of civilian labor force, known as U-3, which is used as the official unemployment rate for the State. There are, however, several additional alternative measures of labor utilization, U-6 being the most comprehensive because it includes the total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers, plus the total employed part-time for economic reasons, as a percentage of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers. While the department does report U-6 figures, these figures are often in the technical notes or footnotes.

The legislature further finds that to allow policy makers and analysts to address issues related to unemployment in the State, the most comprehensive figures and statistics need to be easily accessible.

The purpose of this Act is to require the department of labor and industrial relations to report U-6 figures alongside U-3 figures in the main text of reports and press releases related to the State's unemployment rate.

SECTION 2. Chapter 371, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§371‑ Reporting of unemployment rate. (a) No later than January 1, 2016, the department of labor and industrial relations shall report U-6 figures alongside U-3 figures in the main text of reports and press releases related to the State's unemployment rate.

(b) For the purposes of this section:

"Persons marginally attached to the labor force" means persons who currently are neither working nor looking for work but indicate that they want and are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the past twelve months.

"U-3" means the total unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force.

"U-6" means the total unemployed plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percentage of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

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

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Unemployment; Reporting; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Description:

Requires the department of labor and industrial relations to report U-6 figures alongside U-3 figures when reporting on the State's unemployment rate.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.