HB161 • 2026

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

Labor

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: SAYAMA, LEE, M.
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify the exact nature of 'excluded counterparts' mentioned in the candidate explanation, so this claim was removed.

Rules for Employee Complaints

This bill changes rules about how certain government workers can complain if they are suspended or fired, allowing more employees to file grievances.

What This Bill Does

Removes a rule that stops some employees from complaining if they get suspended or fired.
Allows any employee who is a member of an appropriate bargaining unit to file complaints for suspension or discharge.

Who It Names or Affects

Government workers who are part of a bargaining unit
Employers in the government

Terms To Know

Bargaining Unit: A group of employees who work together and negotiate with their employer about working conditions.
Grievance Procedure: The steps that workers can follow to complain if they think something unfair has happened at work.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill does not say when it will actually start working.
It is still waiting for more action in the legislature before becoming a law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes the rules about which public employees can file grievances over suspensions or discharges.

Removes a restriction that prevented certain exempt employees from filing grievances over suspensions or discharges.
Allows all members of an appropriate bargaining unit and their excluded counterparts to file grievances over suspensions or discharges.

The amendment's effective date is set for July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder or error.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-13 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-13 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 542) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-11 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 02-11-25 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 1
2025-01-16 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-14 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
Collective Bargaining; Grievance; Suspension; Discharge; Exempt Employees
Repeals the prohibition placed on certain employees exempt from civil service law from grieving a suspension or discharge. Allows any employee who is a member of an appropriate bargaining unit and their excluded counterparts to grieve a suspension or discharge. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB161

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

161

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to Collective Bargaining
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 89-10.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending its title and subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"[
[
]�89-10.8[
]
]
�
Resolution of disputes; grievances.
�
(a)
�
A
public employer shall enter into written agreement with the exclusive
representative setting forth a grievance procedure culminating in a final and
binding decision, to be invoked in the event of any dispute concerning the
interpretation or application of a written agreement.
�
The grievance procedure shall be valid and
enforceable and shall be consistent with the following:

����
(1)
�
A dispute over the terms of an initial
or renewed agreement shall not constitute a grievance;

����
(2)
�
[
No employee in a position exempted
from chapter 76, who serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority, shall
be allowed to grieve a suspension or discharge unless the collective bargaining
agreement specifically provides otherwise;
]
Any employee who is a member
of an appropriate bargaining unit shall be allowed to grieve a suspension or
discharge;
and

����
(3)
�
With respect to any adverse action
resulting from an employee's failure to meet performance requirements of the
employee's position, the grievance procedure shall provide that the final and
binding decision shall be made by a performance judge as provided in this
section."

����
SECTION
2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Collective
Bargaining; Grievance; Suspension; Discharge; Exempt Employees

Description:

Repeals
the prohibition placed on certain employees exempt from civil service law from
grieving a suspension or discharge.
�
Allows
any employee who is a member of an appropriate bargaining unit to grieve a
suspension or discharge.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.