STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3796

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2374

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2374, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to make emergency appropriations for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining units (2), (3), (4), (9), (13), and (14) and their excluded counterparts for fiscal biennium 2023-2025.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Judiciary, University of Hawaii, and Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Your Committee finds that the exclusive representative of collective bargaining units (2), (3), (4), (9), (13), and (14) has been pursuing temporary hazard pay for work performed by government employees during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Your Committee further finds that this measure provides a vehicle to appropriate moneys for the temporary hazard pay of employees in those collective bargaining units and their excluded counterparts. Your Committee also finds that similar costs for legislative officers and employees, though excluded from collective bargaining, should also be funded.

Your Committee has amended this measure by adding a new part that appropriates moneys to fund Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund costs and other cost adjustments for legislative officers and employees.

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. 2374, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2374, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair