STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1365

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 424

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 424, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Hawai'i Labor Relations Board

G.M. No. 424

JAMES BURTON NICHOLSON, for a term to expire 6-30-2012,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Upon review of the statement submitted by the nominee, your Committee finds that the nominee will work with compassion and commitment to assist in administering the government functions related to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board as its chairman.  Your Committee finds that the nominee graduated from St. Louis High School and was an all star athlete in basketball and football.  He  then went to Michigan State University where he excelled in football and upon graduating played professional football in the National Football League for eight years.  The nominee then returned to Hawaii and entered the University of Hawaii's Richardson School of Law.  Upon graduating from law school, the nominee worked at the Hawaii Employers Council.  The nominee represented both the employer and the union during his career in labor law.  He then became an arbitrator in resolving disputes between management and labor.  His integrity and fairness earned him the respect of both management and labor.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nominee from the Attorney General's Office, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, the Hawaii Firefighters Association Local 1463, United Public Workers, Hawaii Electric Company, Sause Brother Inc., Iron Workers Stabilization Fund, Iron Workers Union Local 625, First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996, ILWU Local 142, Business Diagnostics, Hawaii Government Employees Association, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, Weyerhaesuser, 5 attorneys, retired judge Patrick Yim, and several private citizens. 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that are 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 consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair