HB214 SD2

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that existing law specifies the circumstances under which an employees' retirement system retirant may be reemployed without the suspension of the retirant's benefits and provides remedies for the employees' retirement system if a retirant is reemployed in violation of chapter 88, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and any administrative rule adopted thereunder.

The legislature further finds that there is a labor shortage that makes it difficult to fill investigator positions in the department of the attorney general, law enforcement officer positions that may be stationed at public schools as school resource officers, as well as excluded management positions in the department of agriculture and other state departments.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish additional categories of retirants who may be employed without reenrollment in the employees' retirement system and without loss or interruption of benefits.

SECTION 2. Section 88-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

1. By amending subsection (d) to read:

"(d) A retirant may be employed without reenrollment in the system and suffer no loss or interruption of benefits provided by the system or under chapter 87A if the retirant is employed:

(1) As an elective officer pursuant to section 88-42.6(c) or as a member of the legislature pursuant to section 88-73(d);

(2) As a juror or precinct official;

(3) As a part-time or temporary employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 88-43, as a session employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 88-54.2, as the president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii tourism authority excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 201B-2, or as any other employee expressly excluded by law from membership in the system; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the six calendar months [~~prior to~~] before the first day of reemployment; and

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, [~~prior to~~] before the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement;

(4) In a position identified by the appropriate jurisdiction as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill position[;], or needed for succession planning; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months [~~prior to~~] before the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, [~~prior to~~] before the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement; and

(C) Each employer shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability; [or]

(5) As a teacher or an administrator in a teacher shortage area identified by the department of education or in a charter school or as a mentor for new classroom teachers; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months [~~prior to~~] before the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant [~~prior to~~] before the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement; and

(C) The department of education or charter school shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability[.];

(6) As a law enforcement officer identified by the department of law enforcement as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill position; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the six calendar months before the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant before the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement;

(C) The department of law enforcement shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability; and

(D) The retirant shall be stationed at a public school as a resource officer;

(7) As an investigator identified by the department of the attorney general as a labor shortage or difficult‑to‑fill position; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the six calendar months before the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the retirant and the State or a county, before the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement; and

(C) The department of the attorney general shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability; or

(8) In a management position excluded from collective bargaining under chapter 89 and identified by the applicable department as a labor shortage, or difficult-to-fill position, or needed for succession planning; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the six calendar months before the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the retirant and the State or a county, before the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement;

(C) The applicable department shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability; and

(D) The reemployment term of the retirant shall not exceed years, unless an extension is approved by the director of human resources development."

2. By amending subsection (f) to read:

"(f) No later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular legislative session, the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county shall submit an annual report to the legislature detailing the employment of retirants under [~~paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (d),~~] subsection (d)(4), (5), (6), (7), and (8), including the number and positions of retirants."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

DLE; ATG; Retirees; ERS; EUTF; Benefits; School Resource Officers; Investigators; Counties; Report

Description:

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of benefits under the System or the Hawaii Employer‑Union Health Benefits Trust Fund if the retirant is employed in a position needed for succession planning, as a law enforcement officer stationed at a public school as a resource officer, as an investigator, or in a management position excluded from collective bargaining, subject to certain conditions. Requires the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county to include in their annual reports to the Legislature details on the employment of retirants as school resource officers or investigators. (SD2)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	214
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 2