STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2258

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2556

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 S.B. No. 2556 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE ANNUAL REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION FOR THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Budget and Finance for the payment of the annual required contribution for the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund provides benefits to active and retired beneficiaries of the fund.  Implementation of this measure will reduce the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the fund and help ensure that fund benefits continue to be available to all beneficiaries.

     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 S.B. No. 2556 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair