STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2196

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2792

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 S.B. No. 2792 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate or authorize funds for fiscal biennium 2021-2023 for collective bargaining cost items including salary and other cost adjustments for the members of collective bargaining unit (11) and their excluded counterparts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1463, AFL‑CIO.

Your Committee has reviewed the written testimony of the Department of Budget and Finance and Hawaii Fire Fighters Association stating that the interest arbitration proceedings for bargaining unit (11) concluded on January 14, 2022, and the three-member panel is expected to issue a final and binding decision in late March 2022. This measure provides a legislative vehicle that can be used if the arbitration award is issued prior to the end of the 2022 Regular Session.

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. 2792 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