STAND. COM. REP. NO.2631

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2757

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2757, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AMENDMENTS TO ACT 253, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2000,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expedite the effective date of Act 253, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, which sought to reform public employment laws, for jurisdictions that are ready to implement that Act.

In addition, this measure extends the sunset date of part V of Act 253 relating to separation incentives from July 1, 2003 to 2008. That part authorizes the state executive branch to offer a voluntary severance or a special retirement incentive benefit to state employees who elect to voluntarily separate from service when their positions are identified for abolishment, or when they are directly affected by a reduction-in-force or a workforce restructuring plan.

Your Committee finds that the Legislature intentionally delayed the effective date of Act 253 to give the various jurisdictions sufficient time to put into place the rules, collective bargaining provisions, policies, and procedures that were necessary to replace provisions that were being repealed.

Your Committee notes, however, that the Department of Human Resources Development is progressing ahead of schedule, and will soon be ready to implement all the provisions of Act 253. Your Committee finds that this measure will enable the Department to start its civil service modernization sooner than July 1, 2002, which is the effective date of the major provisions of Act 253.

This bill also allows other jurisdictions to move up the effective date with respect to those jurisdictions by having the respective director certify that the jurisdiction is ready to implement Act 253. In any event, Act 253 will be effective no later than July 1, 2002.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended the 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 Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2757, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2757, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair