STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1178

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 717

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 717, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Repeal statutory prohibition on certain employees that are exempt from civil service law from grieving a suspension or discharge; and

(2) Add language to allow any employee who is a member of an appropriate bargaining unit to grieve a suspension or discharge.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that there has been a substantial increase in exempt employees in the State, which are classified as "at will" employees under existing law. Furthermore, exempt employees do not have the right to file a grievance for a suspension or discharge under existing law. Your Committee finds it important that the State demonstrate fair labor practices and allow employees who are exempt from civil service to grieve suspensions or discharges.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 717, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 717, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor,

____________________________

JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair