WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Public Library System (State Library System) suffered severe budget cutbacks totaling close to $740,000 in fiscal year 2002-2003; and

WHEREAS, the cutbacks caused the State Library System to reduce spending for library materials, training, meetings, equipment and security coverage; and

WHEREAS, even though the State Library System received a partial exemption from the Governor's December 30, 2002 hiring freeze, the cutbacks still prevented the filling of most vacant positions; and

WHEREAS, to address these seventy vacancies, library employees were transferred internally, causing unnecessary stress and confusion; and

WHEREAS, the seventy vacancies have since grown to over one hundred, in addition to the normal attrition due to retirements and transfers to other departments, including the Department of Education, as well as new positions required for the Kapolei Library in fiscal year 2005-2006; and

WHEREAS, librarians leaving the State Library for a similar position with the Department of Education in the public schools represent one source of attrition for the State Library; and

WHEREAS, public librarians and school librarians are represented by different public employee unions; and

WHEREAS, public librarians that leave the State Library for a similar position with the Department of Education are presumably leaving for differences in compensation or benefits, or both, with respect to the positions; and

WHEREAS, if the differences between the positions were eliminated, there would be no incentive for public librarians to leave for similar positions with the Department of Education; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that the Department of Education, the Board of Education, and the Hawaii State Public Library System are requested to examine the feasibility of combining the public librarians and school librarians into the same collective bargaining unit; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education, the Board of Education, and the Hawaii State Public Library System are requested to report their findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, the Chair of the Board of Education, the State Librarian, the Hawaii Government Employees Association, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

Report Title:

DOE, BOE, and Hawaii State Public Library System Feasibility Study; Placing State Librarians under HSTA