Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1635 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that eligible full-time employees hired by the Legislature on a temporary basis receive retirement benefits from the Employees' Retirement System.

The measure also appropriates funds for the inclusion of eligible full-time employees hired by the Legislature on a temporary basis in the Employees' Retirement System.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from three private citizens. The Department of Accounting and General Services and the Employees' Retirement System submitted comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that full-time employees who work on a temporary basis during the legislative session for more than ninety calendar days have been denied the benefits available from the Employees' Retirement System. This is true despite the inclusion of "legislative employees who are employed on a full-time basis during and between sessions," in the definition of "employee" for purposes of retirement benefits provided in Chapter 88, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

In light of this finding, your Committee believes that the measure is necessary to ensure that all administrative steps are taken to include these employees in the Employees' Retirement System.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1635 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.