STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2507

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2836

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2836, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COST ITEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make appropriations for collective bargaining and related cost items for state law enforcement officers and state and county ocean safety and water safety officers who comprise collective bargaining unit (14), and their excluded counterparts.

     Specifically, this measure provides a vehicle to appropriate funds for:

(1)  Collective bargaining cost items in the agreement negotiated with the exclusive bargaining representative of collective bargaining unit (14); and

(2)  Salary adjustments and other cost adjustments for state officers and employees excluded from collective bargaining and who belong to the same compensation plans as those officers and employees within collective bargaining unit (14).

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Budget and Finance and the Hawaii Government Employees Association expect the arbitration panel to issue a decision in late February regarding salary and other cost adjustments for employees within collective bargaining unit (14).  Your Committee further finds that this measure provides a vehicle to appropriate funds if an arbitration decision is issued during the 2016 Regular Session.

     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. 2836, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair