STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2578

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2674
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Environment, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2674 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEE
     ORGANIZATION MEETINGS HELD DURING STATE WORKING HOURS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit public employee
unions from using meetings during working hours for partisan
political activity.

     Testimony in favor of this measure was received from the
Hawaii State Ethics Commission and the League of Women Voters of
Hawaii.  Testimony in opposition to the measure was received from
the UPW.

     Currently, public employees are permitted to attend
informational and educational union meetings during working
hours.  It is debatable whether or not the law permits the
employee unions to conduct partisan political activity during
these meetings.  This measure prohibits employee unions from
conducting partisan political activity during state time unless
the State is reimbursed for salaries and fringe benefits.  Your
Committee is in agreement that this clarification is necessary to
eliminate any ambiguity and to restore public confidence in
government.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Environment that is attached to this

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2578
                                   Page 2


report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2674 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and
                                   Environment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BOB NAKATA, Chair

 
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