STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2661

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2967

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2967, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a new bargaining unit for ocean safety and water safety officers employed by the State or counties.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association and one individual.

Your Committee finds that ocean safety and water safety officers are currently part of a bargaining unit that includes primarily white collar workers and supervisors.  Ocean safety and water safety officers possess vastly different sets of skills, including lifeguarding and first aid training, compared to white collar workers who perform clerical duties.  Establishing the new bargaining unit for ocean safety and water safety officers will better address the needs of this specialized unit.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2967, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2967, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair