STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1165

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 126

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 126 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund costs and other cost adjustments for officers and employees of the Legislature and legislative agencies excluded from collective bargaining.

Specifically, this measure appropriates unspecified amounts to the:

(1)  State Ethics Commission;

(2)  Office of the Auditor;

(3)  Office of the Legislative Reference Bureau;

(4)  Office of the Ombudsman;

(5)  Senate; and

(6)  House of Representatives.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau, State Ethics Commission, and League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the officers and employees of the Legislature and the legislative service agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.  This measure provides a legislative vehicle to appropriate sufficient funds for the public employment cost items of and cost adjustments for those staff members.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 126, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 126, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair