CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 178-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2991

S.D. 2

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. 2991, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

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:

(1) Require the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to adopt rules establishing criteria and procedures for the creation of new bargaining units;

(2) Require the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to issue a decision and order upon making a determination of whether or not to approve the petition, and if approved, submit a report for the Legislature to consider and enact the establishment of the new bargaining unit; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the development of the criteria and procedures for the creation of new bargaining units and to establish an unspecified number of new positions within the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to implement the criteria and procedures.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the Legislature currently holds the exclusive authority to establish a new bargaining unit through legislation. Your Committee on Conference also finds that there is no path or process for those wishing to create a new bargaining unit to follow. Therefore, this measure will establish clear criteria and procedures to create new bargaining units as well as transfer a portion of the screening authority for prospective bargaining units from the Legislature to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $95,000 for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) staff attorney position (LBR 161), exempt from chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes, within the Hawaii Labor Relations Board;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2024;

(3) Inserting a repeal date of July 1, 2027; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2991, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2991, S.D. 2, 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
____________________________ ANDREW GARRETT Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair
	____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Co-Chair