STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3120

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1658

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1658, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the collective bargaining negotiation procedure on the repricing of classes within a bargaining unit for public employees;

(2) Establish an impasse procedure to be applied when an employer fails to initiate the negotiation or the parties fail to reach an agreement within certain timeframes; and

(3) Repeal existing law that requires a different impasse procedure to apply in those situations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development and Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that existing law governing the collective bargaining negotiation process for repricing of classes within public employee bargaining units unnecessarily complicates and prevents timely resolution of salary adjustments, contributing to pay inequities and persistent vacancies in critical positions. By establishing a separate, streamlined, time-limited impasse procedure tailored to repricing disputes, this measure helps to ensure fair compensation amounts and strengthen recruitment and retention of public employees.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1658, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor and Technology,

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BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair