Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 406, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

begs leave to report as follows:

Upon review of background information submitted by the nominee, your Committee finds that Sarah Reiko Hirakami is a graduate of James B. Castle High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a Juris Doctor from the William S. Richardson School of Law. Ms. Hirakami currently serves as a deputy legal counsel and compliance officer for the Board of Water Supply for the City and County of Honolulu. She has also served as a deputy attorney general for the State, an associate with Jossem & Toyofuku, a law clerk for the Honorable Corinne K.A. Watanabe, and as a nuclear engineer for the United States Navy.

Testimony in support of the nominee was submitted by the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Attorney General, the Supervising Deputy Attorney General for the Employment Law Division, the Director of Personnel for the County of Hawaii, and fourteen individuals.

Your Committee diligently questioned the nominee regarding her ideas for improvements that can be made by the Hawaii Labor Relations Board. Your Committee believes that the nominee demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a dedication to improving the efficiency of the Board, including the timely rendering of decisions and making necessary updates to the administrative rules.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.