STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1099

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 162

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 162, H.D. 2, 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:

(1) Authorize the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to request the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to furnish a list of five qualified and experienced interest arbitrators in the event the parties fail to select the neutral third member of the arbitration panel; and

(2) Clarify that the list of five interest arbitrators may contain arbitrators from both the American Arbitration Association and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the United Public Workers AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; Hawaii Government Employees Association AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and Hawaii State AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that existing law governing collective bargaining in public employment binds bargaining units to arbitration procedures to resolve impasses. These procedures currently limit the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to one organization, the American Arbitration Association, from which to request a list of qualified interest arbitrators and select the neutral third member of an arbitration panel. This measure includes the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in the selection process. Expanding the pool of well-qualified potential interest arbitrators will positively impact the collective bargaining process by promoting fairness and efficiency in the resolution of labor disputes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 162, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 162, H.D. 2, 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 and Technology,

________________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair