Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2302 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the salary of the Vice Director of State Civil Defense to an amount within the range of the pay table for the current federal general schedule-15 level or the grade of a colonel.

This measure also appropriate funds for the salary increase for the Vice Director of State Civil Defense for fiscal year 2006-2007.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Defense.

Your Committees find that in 2004 the Executive Salary Commission adjusted the salary levels for deputy directors within the State. However, the salary level for the Vice Director of State Civil Defense was established by statute and beyond the review of the Executive Salary Commission. Subsequently, pursuant to Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, the Legislature statutorily amended the Vice Director's salary to an amount not to exceed eighty-seven percent of the salary of the Director of Human Resources Development. Your Committees further find that this salary is highly deficient, based on the department's increased duties resulting from its homeland security and defense mission and the development of contingency plans for protection of critical infrastructure and disaster response. Therefore, your Committees determine that the salary of the Vice Director should be made equivalent to that of an individual at the federal general schedule-15 and colonel levels to be commensurate with the responsibilities, experience, and qualifications necessary for the position.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Transportation and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2302 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.