STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1177

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 114

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 114 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO ADOPT SENATE RESOLUTION 51, "RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND PLEDGING TO OPPOSE EFFORTS TO REDUCE FEDERAL WORKFORCE PAY AND BENEFITS, ELIMINATE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS, UNDERMINE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, AND INCREASE THE USE OF NON-FEDERAL CONTRACTORS FOR INHERENTLY GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES","

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the United States Senate to adopt Senate Resolution 51 (115th Congress), "Recognizing the contributions of Federal employees and pledging to oppose efforts to reduce Federal workforce pay and benefits, eliminate civil service employment protections, undermine collective bargaining, and increase the use of non-Federal contractors for inherently governmental activities".

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawaii Federation of State Chapters, National Active and Retired Federal Employees; ILWU Local 142; and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that on February 6, 2017, United States Senator Mazie Hirono introduced Senate Resolution 51, "Recognizing the contributions of Federal employees and pledging to oppose efforts to reduce Federal workforce pay and benefits, eliminate civil service employment protections, undermine collective bargaining, and increase the use of non-Federal contractors for inherently governmental activities".  Your Committee further finds that the Trump administration budget includes a number of cutbacks that will result in layoffs and other negative impacts to the federal government workforce.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the findings to refer to any credible threat to collective bargaining and the civil service system, rather than any conceivable threat;

     (2)  Inserting findings regarding the Trump administration's budget; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 114, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 114, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair