CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 105-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    S.B. No. 3099

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3099, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require, rather than permit, hiring to be done in accordance with civil service laws when the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources hires professional and technical staff; and

(2)  Require any civil service position exemptions created after July 1, 2014, to expire three years after their enactment unless affirmatively extended by the Legislature.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that there are inequities between civil service exempt employees and civil service employees.  For example, exempt employees do not receive step increases in compensation and are not protected from a reduction-in-force.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association has stated that the number of voluntary conversions has been small, and therefore, the conversion process has not been effective.  This measure mandates the conversion of exempt positions to civil service positions unless the exemption is extended by the Legislature in order to ensure fair and equitable compensation and benefits for all employees.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date from July 1, 2114, to July 1, 2014.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3099, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3099, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Co-Chair	___________________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair
____________________________ KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Co-Chair	___________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Co-Chair