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SB 1355 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS.

Summary
Appropriates funds for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining unit (10) and their excluded counterparts, including the cost of salary adjustments negotiated between the State and the bargaining unit representative for fiscal biennium 2025-2027. Declares the expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2025-2026 is exceeded. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Issues: ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates funds for public employee bargaining costs and exceeds expenditure ceiling, directly increasing budget allocation for public employment expenses.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAppropriates funds for collective bargaining cost items and salary adjustments negotiated between state and bargaining units, directly supporting workers' collective bargaining rights.95% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB1355 → SB1355_SD1 · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was updated from a standard Senate bill to a Substitute Draft 1 version, which includes significant substantive changes. The most critical change is the effective date, which was moved from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2050, likely to allow for future legislative adjustments or to align with a different fiscal cycle. Additionally, the text was modified to clarify that funds are 'authorized' rather than just 'appropriated' for certain sections, and a new section was added to formally declare that the state's general fund expenditure ceiling has already been exceeded.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on public employment cost items and collective bargaining, but the timing of when these funds become active has been drastically altered.
TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2050, which significantly delays when the funding and salary adjustments take effect.

REQUIREMENT

A new section was added stating that the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2025-2026 has already been exceeded by approximately $8.5 million, providing a legal justification for the spending.

FISCAL

The language regarding funding was updated in several sections to include 'authorized' alongside 'appropriated,' expanding the legal authority to allocate funds for specific cost items.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Feb 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
upper
Feb 7, 2025
Committee
Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 113) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Ihara, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 01-31-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
upper
Jan 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to LBT, WAM.
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and passed First Reading.
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Pending Introduction.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ron Kouchi
Ron Kouchi
DDemocratic
HI
8