STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2118

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2114

S.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 S.B. No. 2114 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) Repeal the prohibition placed on certain employees exempt from Civil Service Law from 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; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development, Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui, Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu, and Libertarian Party of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that grievance procedures are an essential element of public employment that safeguard workers' rights. However, the current dispute resolution process prohibits certain employees exempt from civil service law from grieving suspensions or discharges. Your Committee further finds that access to a fair, transparent process to challenge disciplinary actions promotes equity and fairness in disciplinary decisions. Accordingly, this measure ensures all public employees who are members of collective bargaining units are granted due process as a standard protection.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2077, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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 S.B. No. 2114, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2114, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

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

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BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair