STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3051

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3131

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 Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 3131 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERSONNEL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to update state position titles by changing "private secretary" to "executive assistant" and "secretary" to "administrative assistant", where applicable.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Resources Development and the Hawaii State Public Library System.

Your Committee finds that in 2024, the Department of Human Resources Development modernized civil service position titles by renaming the secretary series to be the administrative assistant series. Individuals in these positions typically serve as trusted confidential assistants to department heads, deputies, and other executive level positions. Given the nature of the work that individuals in these positions perform, it is critical that the State attract and retain qualified employees to fill these roles. Additionally, amending statutory language to reflect the Department of Human Resources Development's updated series titles will ensure consistency in state government. This measure promotes more effective governance by ensuring consistency across state titles and supporting the recruitment and retention of qualified employees.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3131, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3131, S.D. 1.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair