STAND. COM. REP. NO.  640

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1672

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1672 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE AGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the ability of the legislative services agencies to hire and retain the most qualified individuals by increasing the maximum salary payable to the first assistant or first deputy in the Office of the Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB), and Office of the Ombudsman from not more than 87 percent to not more than 92 percent of the salary of the respective agency's director.

     LRB, the State Auditor, Ombudsman, and Hawaii State Teachers Association testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee recognizes that Act 225, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, provided the heads of executive departments with the authority to establish the salaries of their deputies in a range from 87 to 92 percent of their own.  This measure provides equity to deputies and first assistants in the legislative branch of government.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1672 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair