CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 29-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2715

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2715, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to make it unlawful for an employer to discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize or threaten any adverse employment action against an employee because the employee declines to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting that communicates the opinion of the employer about political matters, or declines to receive or listen to a communication from the employer that communicates the opinion of the employer about political matters.

Your Committee on Conference finds that some employers use "captive audience meetings", where employee attendance is mandatory or de facto mandatory, to disseminate employer's political views that have little or no relevance to the workplace or the employees' work duties and penalize employees who refuse to attend. Your Committee on Conference further finds that participation in these meetings should be voluntary however, protection for employees who refuse to attend is limited under existing law. This measure establishes legal protections for employees who choose not to participate in these meetings.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2715, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2715, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Co-Chair
	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Co-Chair