STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2686

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2251

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2251 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to create a separate bargaining unit for water safety and ocean safety officers (Bargaining Unit 15).

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources, City and County of Honolulu; Kaua‘i Fire Department; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152; Hawaiian Lifeguard Association; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that law enforcement officers and ocean and water safety officers currently fall within collective bargaining Unit 14. Law enforcement officers are armed personnel who are trained to execute law enforcement services statewide. In contrast, ocean safety and water safety officers are not armed and do not provide law enforcement services. Combining the specialized needs of law enforcement and ocean safety in one unit is impractical as they are two distinct occupational classes. Your Committee also finds that the specialized needs of law enforcement officers and ocean safety and water safety officers would be better addressed through separate bargaining units.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2251 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair