Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Legislative Management, to which was referred H.B. No. 1095 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to:

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Commission, the League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and Common Cause Hawaii. The United Public Workers submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

One testifier observed that the executive director of the Commission may already be adequately compensated for his position, given his duties and responsibilities, and the number of staff employed under him. Your Committee also learned that an associate director's position is also staffed in the Commission. That person's salary exceeds that of its executive director and salaries of deputy directors in the executive branch of government.

Your Committee learned that Chapter 89C, HRS, via a memorandum of agreement among the legislative agencies determines the salaries of all employees other than the executive director of the Commission. This may explain why the Commission allowed the associate director's salary to rise above that of its executive director. What became puzzling was testimony which stated that the Board of the Commission sets salaries of all staff except the executive director. This apparent conflict should be investigated by the next committee in addition to the original legislative intent since 1982 which limited the director's salary to that of a deputy director of the executive branch of government. In spite of these uncertainties which we hope will be cleared up as the bill moves along, your Committee felt that the purpose of this bill appears to reflect a fair and reasonable public policy.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Legislative Management that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1095 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.