STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1549

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1498

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1498, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII LABOR RELATIONS BOARD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to broaden the powers and functions of the Hawaii Labor Relations Board (Board) to include:

(1) Determining qualifications for persons to serve as grievance arbitrators and interest arbitrators; and

(2) Reviewing and determining the qualifications and criteria for potential arbitrators selected under certain circumstances to resolve collective bargaining impasses.

This measure further clarifies that the arbitrators nominated to be the final member of an arbitration panel must be experienced interest arbitrators.

The Hawaii Labor Relations Board and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the Board's ability to determine qualifications for and establish lists for persons to serve as interest arbitrators; and

(2) Clarifying that the Board has the power to review disputes over the qualifications and criteria of the qualified arbitrators provided by the American Arbitration Association to be the final member of an arbitration panel, rather than have the power to review and determine their qualifications.

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. 1498, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1498, S.D. 1, 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