STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3050

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2353

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2353, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM CIVIL SERVICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Reestablish one additional deputy position in the Department of Human Services and exempt the position from civil service requirements; and

     (2)  Establish a one-year civil service exemption for various positions in the Department of Human Services; Department of Public Safety; Department of Health; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Health; Department of Public Safety; Department of Human Services; and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO and four individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development.

     Your Committee finds that providing certain positions with statutory exemptions from civil service requirements may improve the recruitment of qualified individuals.  Implementation of this measure will provide flexibility in the hiring process and may assist in the retention of highly qualified professionals.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Establishing a three-year, rather than one-year, civil service exemption for various positions in the Department of Human Services; Department of Public Safety; Department of Health; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2353, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2353, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair