STAND. COM. REP. NO.  148

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1277

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1277 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow full-time graduate students employed by the University of Hawaii to collectively bargain.

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, Hawaii State Teachers Association, IMUAlliance, Graduate Student Organization at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and numerous individuals supported this measure.  The University of Hawaii, Office of Collective Bargaining, and Department of Budget and Finance opposed this measure.  The Democratic Party of Hawaii commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Making it apply to graduate student assistants employed for a minimum of 20 hours a week by the University of Hawaii;

(2)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

(3)  Making technical and nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

     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 H.B. No. 1277, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1277, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair