STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 283-26
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2026
RE: H.B. No. 1654
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2026
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 1654 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to require the Attorney General to:
(1) Establish a confidential process for persons to anonymously file complaints against public employees; and
(2) Review and forward complaints to the appropriate department and require departments to report their disposition back to the Attorney General.
Your Committee finds that members of the public may be reluctant to report concerns about the conduct of public employees due to fear of retaliation or lack of confidence in existing reporting channels. Your Committee further finds that the absence of a centralized, confidential process can result in inconsistent handling of complaints and reduce public trust in government accountability. Your Committee believes that establishing a uniform, anonymous, reporting system strengthens transparency and ensures that complaints are reviewed, processed, and tracked in a consistent and safe manner.
Your Committee has
amended this measure by:
(1) Requiring each public employer and any department to inform its employees and the public that a complainant should immediately notify law enforcement regarding any conduct or situation that poses an imminent danger or threat;
(2) Deleting language that would have required the Attorney General to notify the department or other state or county agency regarding any imminent danger or threat;
(3) Authorizing, rather than requiring, the Attorney General to adopt rules;
(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and
(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
Your Committee notes that proponents of this measure have requested an effective date of July 1, 2027, and respectfully requests your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider adopting the requested effective date.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1654, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1654, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor,
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____________________________ JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair |
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