STAND. COM. REP. NO. 277-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1659

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. 1659 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Repeal the prohibition on certain civil service-exempt employees grieving a suspension or discharge; and

(2) Allow any employee who is a member of an appropriate bargaining unit to grieve any disciplinary action.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; University of Hawaii Professional Assembly; United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO. 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 prevents certain employees who are exempt from civil service from grieving suspensions or discharges, which has created inconsistency across bargaining units. This discrepancy has resulted in uneven access to due process procedures and uncertainty regarding how disciplinary actions may be reviewed. This measure establishes a more uniform and predictable process for resolving workplace disputes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that an employee's authority to grieve disciplinary action is subject to any limitations expressly provided in the applicable collective bargaining agreement; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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. 1659, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1659, 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,

____________________________

JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair