STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1670-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2449

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2449, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to repeal all statutory provisions relating to the probationary period for first-time teachers, principals, and vice-principals of the Department of Education (DOE).

     The DOE and Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) testified in support of this bill.

     Repealing statutorily established probationary periods for teachers, principals, and vice principals and allowing these probationary periods to be negotiated through the collective bargaining process is in the best interest of all parties involved.  Your Committee finds that during the last round of negotiations between DOE and HSTA, the probationary period for teachers was reduced from two years to one year through mutual agreement.  Similar negotiations are currently underway with representatives of bargaining unit (6), which represents principals and vice-principals.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the purpose of this bill is to repeal the statutorily established probationary provision of employment since these probationary periods are currently being, or have already been, negotiated between DOE and HSTA, the representative for bargaining unit (5) (Teachers) and the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the representative for bargaining unit (6) (principals and vice-principals); and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2449, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2449, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair