HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                 THE TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE
                  REGULAR SESSION OF 1999

         COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
              Rep. Terry Nui Yoshinaga, Chair
           Rep. Iris Ikeda Catalani, Vice Chair

  Rep. Kenny Goodenow           Rep. Tom Okamura
  Rep. Eric G. Hamakawa         Rep. K. Mark Takai
  Rep. Kenneth T. Hiraki        Rep. Mark Moses
  Rep. Bob Nakasone             Rep. Jim Rath

                     NOTICE OF HEARING

        DATE:    Tuesday, February 16, 1999

        TIME:    8:30 A.M.

        PLACE:   Conference Room 309, State Capitol


                     AMENDED A G E N D A

      (REGUARDING HB 142 RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT- 
   TO BE REMOVED FROM AGENDA - ALREADY GIVEN HEARING DATE)


 HB 134  RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION             LAB, JHA
      Disallows compensation for physical or mental injury
      resulting from a disciplinary or other personnel action
      taken in good faith by the employer.

HB 1335  RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FULL-FLEX CAFETERIA PLAN
                                                    LAB, FIN
      Requires DHRD to develop and implement, beginning on
      7/1/2000, a cafeteria plan with flex credits or flex
      dollars that qualifies under section 125 of the Internal
      Revenue Code as a pre-tax plan for all public employees
      in Hawaii.  Allows existing county plans offering
      greater benefits to continue.  Appropriates $          
      for FY 1999-2000 and FY 2000-2001 to DHRD.

HB 102   RELATING TO WAGE PAYMENTS                     LAB, JHA
      Clarifies that the penalty applied to employers for
      unjustified wage withholding will be equal to the amount
      of unpaid wages and interest at a rate of six per cent
      per year from the date the wages were due.



 
HB 1670  RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT                        LAB, FIN
      Protects the State's proprietary interests in public
      works projects by providing for card check agreements.

HB 202   RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND
                                                    LAB, FIN
      Requires employee-beneficiaries who retire after June
      30, 1999, if eligible, to enroll in the federal Medicare
      plan for voluntary medical insurance coverage.  Provides
      that failure to enroll in the Medicare voluntary medical
      insurance plan will make the employee-beneficiary or
      dependent-beneficiary ineligible to participate in any
      benefit plan or receive any contribution offered by the
      fund. 

HB 359   RELATING TO THE HAWAII PUBLIC HEALTH FUND
                                                    LAB, FIN
      Provides that the total employer contribution shall not
      exceed the actual cost of a health benefits plan,
      including any overpayment refunds.  Ensures that a
      public employer pays the same percentage of the health
      benefits plan of an employee, whether the employee
      participates in a health fund or union-sponsored health
      benefits plan.  Clarifies that the board of trustees of
      the health fund owes a fiduciary duty to the State to
      ensure that the government contributors to the fund are
      receiving a fair return for their contributions.

HB 1100  RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INCUMBENT WORKER JOB
      TRAINING PROGRAM FOR GROWTH INDUSTRIES        LAB, FIN
      Encourages the creation of training programs to improve
      the skills of existing workers for jobs in new and
      emerging industries.

HB 1060  RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND  LAB, FIN
HD1      Eliminates the state and county employer contributions
      for health benefits for dependents of employees hired
      after the effective date of the bill.  Limits employer
      health fund benefit contributions.

HB 159   RELATING TO WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION          LAB, JHA
      Amends the Whistleblowers' Protection Act by expanding
      areas of protected conduct and the types of reportable
      violations.  Also strengthens the remedies available to
      whistleblowers and increases penalties for violators.

HB 720   RELATING TO THE HAWAII PENALTY CODE           LAB, JHA
      Makes assault against a state or county employee a
      felony.


 
 
 
                 DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

        DECISION MAKING ONLY ON THE FOLLOWING BILLS

HB 763   RELATING TO RETIREMENT SYSTEM                 LAB, FIN
HB 96    RELATING TO PENALTIES                         LAB, FIN
HB 1582  RELATING TO PROCUREMENT                       LAB, FIN
HB 1281  RELATING TO PROCUREMENT                       LAB, FIN
HB 848   RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE TESTING           LAB, JHA
HB 522   RELATING TO THE SCHOOL-TO-WORK PROGRAM   LAB, EDN, FIN
HB 625   RELATING TO MINIMUM WAGES                     LAB, FIN
HB 786   RELATING TO EMPLOYEE'S RETIREMENT SYSTEM      LAB, FIN
HB 499   RELATING TO EMPLOYEE'S RETIREMENT SYSTEM      LAB, FIN
HB 143   RELATING TO PRIVATIZATION                     LAB, FIN
HB 1160  RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECRURITY APPEALS      LAB, JHA
HB 1044  RELATING TO HEALTH BENEFITS FOR PART-TIME TEMPORARY. AND
      SEASONAL OR CASUAL EMPLOYEES                  LAB, FIN
HB 1047  RELATING TO MAXIMUM RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE      LAB, FIN
HB 1049  RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND  LAB, FIN

PERSONS WISHING TO TESTIFY ARE REQUESTED TO SUBMIT 45 COPIES OF
THEIR TESTIMONY 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING TO:  (1)  THE
COMMITTEE'S VICE CHAIR IN ROOM 323, STATE CAPITOL; OR (2)  THE
HOUSE SGT.-AT-ARMS PERSONNEL IN THE TURNAROUND AREA OF THE
CAPITOL BASEMENT PARKING LOT.  TESTIMONY MAY BE FAXED TO THE
HOUSE SGT.-AT-ARMS OFFICE AT:  586-6501 (OAHU) OR 1-800-535-3859
(NEIGHBOR ISLANDS).  WHEN FAXING, PLEASE INDICATE TO WHOM THE
TESTIMONY IS BEING SUBMITTED, THE DATE AND TIME OF THE HEARING,
AND THE REQUIRED NO. OF COPIES THAT IS NEEDED FOR SUBMITTAL.

IT IS ALSO REQUESTED THAT THE COPIES BE ON ONE SIDE OF AN 8-1/2"
X 11" SHEET. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE LABOR AND
PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE CLERK AT 586-8450.

IF YOU REQUIRE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE OR AUXILIARY AIDS AND/OR
SERVICES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS OF THE
STATE HOUSE (I.E., SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER, WHEELCHAIR
ACCESSIBILITY, OR PARKING DESIGNATED FOR THE DISABLED), PLEASE
CONTACT THE COMMITTEE CLERK 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE HEARING SO
ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.

AS A REMINDER, ATTENDES ARE ASKED AS COURTESY TO REFRAIN FROM
LEAVING CELLULAR PHONES OR PAGERS ON AUDIBLE ALERT.


                               _______________________________
                               Rep. Terry Nui Yoshinaga
                               Chair