Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2789, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate an unspecified amount for the annual incremental salary increase for teachers and educational officers.

Your Committee finds that generally, section 302A-626, Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides teachers and educational officers who have completed a year of satisfactory service and complied with other statutory requirements, annual incremental increases in salary. Section 302A-626, Hawaii Revised Statutes, also provides teachers and educational officers who have served satisfactorily for three years and complied with other statutory requirements, applicable longevity step increases in salary.

This bill provides the vehicle to fund these increases in salary. Your Committee, however, is aware of the on-going collective bargaining negotiations between the State and teachers, and will defer on the amount appropriated pending final disposition of the negotiations and the state budget.

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 S.B. No. 2789, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.