STAND. COM. REP. NO.  408

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 232

      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 H.B. No. 232 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1)  Clarify the permissive scope of collective bargaining negotiations regarding the rights and obligations of a public employer; and

(2)  Make it a prohibited practice for a public employer to engage in specified activities without doing so willfully.

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly; United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO; Hawaii State Teachers Association; Hawaii Fire Fighters Association; and State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers supported this measure.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Human Resources Development and Department of Human Resources of the County of Kauai opposed this measure.  The Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the amendment addressing prohibited practices by a public employer; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 232, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 232, 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