STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1360-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2014

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2014, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Director of Human Resources Development to abolish any state position that has been vacant for five years, with certain exceptions;

(2) Require funds for abolished positions to lapse to the credit of the appropriate fund; and

(3) Require a list of positions abolished to be included in the Director's annual report to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii State Public Library System and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that a significant number of state positions remain funded yet vacant for extended periods of time, in some cases for multiple years, resulting in the continued reservation of public funds for positions that are not actively being filled. Your Committee further finds that the lack of a consistent mechanism to review and eliminate long‑term vacant positions can contribute to inefficiencies in workforce planning and limit the availability of funds for higher‑priority needs. This measure will promote fiscal responsibility and encourage more effective management of the State's workforce resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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 S.B. No. 2014, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2014, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair