Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 54, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow any elective officer who attains the age of sixty-five to retire and receive a service retirement allowance while continuing to fill an elective position.

Your Committee finds that under the current law, only members of the Legislature are eligible to receive pensions upon attaining the age of sixty-five while continuing to serve in elective positions. This amendment to the law will serve to provide equity as well as attract a more diverse group of candidates for elected public service.

Your Committee has amended the measure by requiring that the elective officer continuously serve in the state legislature as an elective officer for at least twenty years immediately prior to retiring in order to qualify for this retirement benefit.

In making these amendments, your Committee declares that it is not the intent of your Committee to abrogate the retirement benefits of any vested member of the Employees' Retirement System and that any alteration to retirement benefits made under this measure is to be applied prospectively.

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. 54, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 54, S.D. 2.