STAND. COM. REP. NO.  543-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2859

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2859 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help improve working conditions for graduate students within the University of Hawaii system by removing student help from the list of state employees statutorily barred from inclusion in any appropriate collective bargaining unit.

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, Pride At Work Hawaii, and numerous concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance, University of Hawaii System, and Department of Human Resources Development provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the statutory right to collectively bargain extends only to graduate students employed by the University of Hawaii, rather than to student help statewide; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2859, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2859, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

SCOTT NISHIMOTO, Chair