Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2499 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to continue efforts to reform the civil service system by:

The Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) testified in support of this measure. The City and County of Honolulu submitted comments on this bill.

Act 253, SLH 2000, was enacted to reform the State of Hawaii's civil service system. Presently, the implementation of Act 253 is moving ahead of schedule and its provisions should be put into place before July 1, 2002. To avoid any overlap or gaps in the implementation process among the various jurisdictions throughout the State, the directors of these jurisdictions are seeking implementation flexibility through this bill.

Although your Committee understands the concerns vocalized by DHRD regarding these implementation overlaps and gaps, your Committee feels that by the time this measure completes its journey through the legislative process, a period of approximately 1 ½ to 2 months will remain before the present effective date. However, the amendment extending the sunset date of the Program was considered to be prudent as this Program has only seen limited application over the last year.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting language that would have allowed jurisdictions the flexibility to implement their respective changes prior to July 1, 2002.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2499, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2499, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.