STAND. COM. REP. NO.532

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 758

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 758 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow the employer's contribution for health benefits plans to be negotiable as either a percentage or dollar amount.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the United Public Workers of Hawaii, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association.

The Department of Budget and Finance submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, unions are only able to negotiate employer contributions in terms of dollar amounts.

Your Committee determines that more flexibility is necessary to allow the employers and the unions to better negotiate costs in a fair and reasonable manner.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 758 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

BRIAN KANNO, Chair