STAND. COM. REP. NO. 723

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1032

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water & Land and Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1032 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to convert the Emergency Management Specialist series positions at level IV and higher in the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency from civil service status to exempt status.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the state Department of Defense and Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committees note testimony from the Hawaii Government Employees Association indicating that the civil service system must be more flexible and competitive and that the State could raise the pricing of the professional and technical staff of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Raising pricing could allow the State to offer a more competitive salary and promote better retention of critical staff. Your Committees have requested additional information from the Executive Branch to explore this option and will continue to work closely with the Executive Branch this session to make a determination on whether an exemption from civil service for these positions is needed.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water & Land and Labor & Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1032, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1032, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water & Land and Labor & Government Operations,

____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair