STAND. COM. REP. NO.  729

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 553

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 553, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a new bargaining unit to allow graduate student assistants employed by the University of Hawaii to collectively bargain.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa Graduate Student Organization, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, and numerous concerned individuals supported the measure.  The University of Hawaii, Department of Budget and Finance, and Office of Collective Bargaining testified in opposition.  The Department of the Attorney General and Hawaii Government Employees Association submitted comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 553, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair