STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3794

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1640

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1640, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate negotiations on the repricing of classes within a public employment collective bargaining unit.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires that within thirty days of receipt of a written request from the exclusive representative to negotiate, and at times allowed under the collective bargaining agreement, the employer shall negotiate the repricing of classes within a bargaining unit; and

(2) Provides that if an employer fails to timely initiate a negotiation or the parties cannot reach an agreement within ninety days after the exclusive representative's written request to negotiate or by January 31 of a year in which the agreement is due to expire, whichever is earlier, an impasse exists and certain impasse procedures shall apply.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the United Public Workers, Hawaii Government Employee Association, and Hawaii State AFL-CIO.

Your Committees received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development.

Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Human Resources, County of Kauai; and Department of Human Resources, City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committees find that current procedures for the repricing of classes within public employment gives insufficient consideration to employee concerns. Further, the procedures lack both an appeal mechanism and an adjudication process through an impartial review. Accordingly, your Committees find it appropriate to amend these procedures to protect public employees and foster a more collaborative and productive bargaining process.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1640, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair