STAND

STAND. COM. REP. 75

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1657

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 Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1657 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow conservation and resources enforcement officers in the Department of Land and Natural Resources:

(1) The option of becoming contributory plan (Class A) members of the Employees' Retirement System;

(2) To retire after 25 years of service without penalty for age; and

(3) To receive a retirement allowance of two and one-half percent of the employee's average final compensation for each year of service as a conservation and resources enforcement officer.

The Department of Budget and Finance submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.

Your Committee is cognizant of the contributions made by conservation and resources enforcement officers to the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Hawaii, the similarities of their service to that of police officers and firefighters, and the impact this bill may have on the financial condition of the State. These and other relevant factors deserve further consideration and analysis.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2010, to promote further discussion on this important matter; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1657, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1657, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Labor and Public Employment.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs,

		____________________________ EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair