STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1252-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2398

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2398, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Authorize the establishment of public employee collective bargaining units not already specifically authorized in law; and

     (2)  Allow part-time and full-time graduate student assistants employed by the University of Hawaii to collectively bargain their wages, hours, and other terms; provided that no collective bargaining agreement shall take effect prior to July 1, 2017.

The University of Hawaii Graduate Student Organization, Hawaii State AFL-CIO, and ILWU Local 142 testified in support of this measure.  The University of Hawaii, Department of Budget and Finance, and Office of Collective Bargaining testified in opposition.  The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, and one individual provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended the contents of this measure to reflect the substance of S.B. No. 2398, S.D. 2, which establishes collective bargaining unit (15) for graduate student assistants employed by the University of Hawaii.

     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 S.B. No. 2398, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2398, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair