STAND. COM. REP. NO.  17

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 467

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 467 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WHISTLEBLOWERS' PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect public employees by:

     (1)  Providing additional protections to those employees who report violations of the law or other improper activities; and

     (2)  Expanding the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' (DLIR) roles and responsibilities regarding whistleblowers.

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) provided comments on this measure.

     Oftentimes, employees who witness violations of the law or improper activities by their employer are afraid to report these violations or activities for fear of retaliation.  This bill attempts to address these fears by providing additional protections to employees who file these reports.  While your Committee notes the concerns raised by DHRD regarding the overly broad nature of this measure and the effect it may have on personnel actions, the need to balance protections afforded to public employee whistleblowers with the needs of public employers deserves further consideration and discussion.

     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. 467 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair