STAND. COM. REP. NO.  615

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 865

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs and Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 865 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make employees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs subject to civil service and collective bargaining, and to give the Office of Hawaiian Affairs voting rights as a public employer.

The Hawaiian Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, Ho‘omana Pono, LLC., and two individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and one individual testified in opposition to this measure.  The Office of Collective Bargaining provided comments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has a single vote, rather than each trustee having one vote;

     (2)  Specifying that the governor shall have seven votes for the purpose of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement, rather than six votes; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 865, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 865, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs and Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair

____________________________ KANIELA ING, Chair