STAND. COM. REP. 906
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2003
RE: S.B. No. 363
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2003
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 363 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXPERIMENTAL MODERNIZATION PROJECTS FOR COUNTY BOARDS OF WATER SUPPLY,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to authorize any county board of water supply serving a population of 500,000 or more persons to establish experimental modernization projects (Projects) to determine whether specific changes in their human resource programs are desirable.
The Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu (BWS) testified in support of this measure. The Department of Human Resources Development, United Public Workers, and Hawaii Government Employees Association testified in support of the intent of this measure. The Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu testified in opposition to this measure.
Your Committee finds that, since 1999, BWS has embarked on a highly successful program to transform their agency into a competitive, world-class provider of water utility services. These changes have been part of a program designed by BWS in cooperation and with the support of the unions. Your Committee further finds that the combined efforts of BWS and the unions have resulted in improvements, including cost savings and progress in the areas of technology and employee training. Your Committee has determined that this bill is needed to further the efforts of BWS and other qualifying boards of water supply (Water Boards), and allow them to implement new human resource systems designed to improve the quality of customer services and to better employees' working environments.
The bill, as received by your Committee, amends section 78-3.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), the general law that authorizes counties to conduct Projects, by specifically authorizing any Water Board serving a population of 500,000 or more people to establish a Project.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Inserting the substance of this bill into a new section of HRS specifically dedicated to the authorization of qualifying Water Boards to conduct Projects;
(2) Replacing the requirement that the director of a Water Board (Board Director) consult with employees involved in the Project, with the requirement that the Board Director consult with the exclusive collective bargaining representative;
(3) Requiring the Project to comply with chapter 89, HRS, relating to collective bargaining in public employment; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, style, and consistency.
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 S.B. No. 363, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 363,
H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor and Public Employment,
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____________________________ MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair |
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