STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3414

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2355

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 2355 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for fiscal biennium 2021-2023 for Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund costs and other cost adjustments for legislative officers and employees of the Senate, House of Representatives, and various legislative agencies, who are excluded from collective bargaining.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Legislative Reference Bureau, Office of the Auditor, and Office of the Ombudsman.

Your Committee finds that this measure provides a legislative vehicle that can be used to appropriate funds should the Legislature determine that Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund costs and other cost adjustments for legislative officers and employees of the Senate, House of Representatives, and various legislative agencies, who are excluded from collective bargaining, are warranted.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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 H.B. No. 2355, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2355, S.D. 1, 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