CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 159

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2017

RE:    S.B. No. 914

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 914, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to provide a legislative vehicle to fund public sector collective bargaining cost items for salary adjustments, other cost adjustments, and Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) costs for public employees in collective bargaining unit (2) and their excluded counterparts for fiscal biennium 2017-2019.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that Governor's Message No. 10 dated April 27, 2017, reflects the arbitration award issued for the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) concerning collective bargaining units (2), (8), (9), and (13) on April 25, 2017, and the agreement with HGEA regarding EUTF contribution amounts.  This measure provides a legislative vehicle to fund the collectively bargained terms that were agreed upon.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language to reflect the arbitration award to HGEA concerning collective bargaining units (2), (8), (9), and (13) and the agreement with HGEA regarding EUTF contribution amounts;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2017; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 914, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 914, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON Co-Chair	____________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN Chair
____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE Co-Chair	____________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA Co-Chair