STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1356

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 249

      S.D. 2

      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 Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 249, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RETIREMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce retirement benefits for new judicial appointments after June 30, 2017, from 3.0 to 2.0 percent of the member's average final compensation.

The Judiciary; University of Hawaii Professional Assembly; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawai‘i State Trial Judges Association; Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Local 1463, IAFF, AFL-CIO; Farrell & Associates; and many concerned individuals testified in opposition to this measure.  The Employees' Retirement System provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the date for the reduced retirement benefits for new judicial appointments beginning after June 30, 2050; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 249, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 249, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair