Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 531 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure parity for employees who are excluded from collective bargaining.

This bill requires that proposed adjustments to the compensation and benefit packages for civil service employees who are excluded from collective bargaining be at least equal to the adjustments provided for civil service employees who are included in collective bargaining.

Your Committee finds that our best and brightest civil servants should be encouraged to rise through the ranks of employees and become members of state and county management teams. If we expect our most skilled, knowledgeable, and able employees to manage the day-to-day operations of state and county government, then we must compensate them at least as well as the people they are expected to lead.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 531, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 531, S.D. 1.