STAND. COM. REP. NO. 537

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 208

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 208 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal on January 1, 2011, the exemption from civil service for the positions of sheriff, first deputy sheriff, and second deputy sheriff within the Sheriff Division of the Department of Public Safety.

     Your Committee finds that the current positions of sheriff, first deputy sheriff, and second deputy sheriff in the Sheriff Division should be subject to the civil service law and its merit principles.

     Your Committee believes that repealing the civil service exemption for these positions would benefit the Sheriff Division in the follow ways:

     (1)  Provide greater stability in leadership;

     (2)  Maintain and ensure continuity of institutional knowledge;

     (3)  Improve employee morale and create opportunities for career advancement within the Sheriff Division; and

     (4)  Improve administrative efficiency and effectiveness.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 208 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair