STAND. COM. REP. NO. 610

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 883

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 883, 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 collective bargaining unit to represent first responder employees, including state law enforcement officers and state and county ocean safety and water safety officers.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association; Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division, City and County of Honolulu; Hawaiian Lifeguard Association; and numerous concerned individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that state law enforcement officers and state and county ocean safety and water safety officers risk their own well-being to protect the lives and safety of others on a daily basis.  Your Committee further finds that collective bargaining is a constitutionally and statutorily protected right for all appropriate employees.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the name of the new collective bargaining unit from "first responders including state law enforcement officers and state and county ocean safety and water safety officers" to "state law enforcement officers and state and county ocean safety and water safety officers" for clarity; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     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. 883, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 883, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair