REPORT TITLE:
Labor Task Force

DESCRIPTION:
Establish a representative task force to conduct a comprehensive
review of Chapter 76 and 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes. (HB142 HD1)


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        142
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State's
 
 2 continuing financial crisis has created substantial uncertainty
 
 3 for state and county employees and managers, as well as
 
 4 taxpayers, resulting in layoffs of many state and county
 
 5 employees while vacant positions continue to go unfilled.  As a
 
 6 result, many proposals affecting benefits, employment conditions,
 
 7 and other matters regarding state and county employees have come
 
 8 before the legislature.
 
 9      The legislature further finds that most of chapters 76 and
 
10 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes, dealing with the State's civil
 
11 service and compensation laws are now several decades old.  The
 
12 State's financial condition has both required and facilitated a
 
13 refocus on principles of productivity, efficiency, and morale
 
14 encouragement in the state and county workforce--in other words,
 
15 a "fresh start."
 
16      The legislature believes that a comprehensive review of
 
17 chapters 76 and 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is necessary to
 
18 ensure that:
 

 
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 1      (1)  The rights of public employees are being fully
 
 2           protected;
 
 3      (2)  Public employees are being treated equally and with
 
 4           fairness; and
 
 5      (3)  The State possesses the management flexibility and
 
 6           efficiency necessary to adjust fully to difficult
 
 7           economic times, and to implement desired administrative
 
 8           changes.
 
 9      The legislature also believes that during these difficult
 
10 economic times, a comprehensive review of chapters 76 and 77,
 
11 Hawaii Revised Statutes, and its implementation by all affected
 
12 parties in the spirit of cooperation and consensus-building is
 
13 timely and in the public interest.
 
14      The purpose of this Act is to establish a representative
 
15 task force to conduct a comprehensive review of the scope,
 
16 implementation, efficiency, and effectiveness of chapters 76 and
 
17 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to seek consensus on necessary or
 
18 appropriate changes, and to report back to the legislature prior
 
19 to the convening of the regular session of 2000.
 
20      SECTION 2.  (a)  There is established, within the
 
21 legislative reference bureau for administrative purposes, a task
 
22 force comprising various members from the public and private
 

 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 sector to comprehensively review chapters 76 and 77, Hawaii
 
 2 Revised Statutes.
 
 3      (b)  The task force's review shall include:
 
 4      (1)  An implementation plan to restructure current job
 
 5           recruitment processes and position classifications;
 
 6      (2)  Any other relevant issues; and
 
 7      (3)  Legislative proposals to implement recommendations.
 
 8      (c)  The task force shall be composed of ten members, as
 
 9 follows:
 
10      (1)  The chairperson of the senate committee on labor and
 
11           environment;
 
12      (2)  The chairperson of the house committee on labor and
 
13           public employment;
 
14      (3)  The director of the department of human resources
 
15           development; and
 
16      (4)  Seven members to be designated by the senate president
 
17           and the speaker of the house of representatives as
 
18           follows:
 
19           (A)  One representative from each of the six public
 
20                employee unions; and
 
21           (B)  One representative from the council of personnel
 
22                directors.
 

 
 
 
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 1      (d)  The task force shall be fully designated and
 
 2 constituted by no later than thirty days after the effective date
 
 3 of this Act.
 
 4      (e)  In conducting this review, the task force shall operate
 
 5 in good faith and with the goal of reaching consensus and, where
 
 6 consensus is not possible, to identify the competing viewpoints
 
 7 and goals and associated proposals so that the legislature may be
 
 8 fully advised of the full range of policy choices presented.
 
 9      (f)  The task force shall submit a report of its findings
 
10 and recommendations, including specific proposed constitutional
 
11 or statutory changes if applicable, to the legislature on January
 
12 10, 2000.
 
13      (g)  The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2000.
 
14      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.