SB717 • 2026

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: AQUINO, CHANG, FEVELLA, FUKUNAGA, HASHIMOTO, KIDANI, MORIWAKI, RHOADS, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Gabbard, McKelvey, Richards
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

What This Bill Does

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 to grieve a suspension or discharge.
Effective 7/1/3000.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB717 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB717 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
717 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB717 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB717 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
717 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING .

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-25 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 4:30 PM; Conference Room 016.
2025-04-25 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 2:30 PM; Conference Room 016.
2025-04-24 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 10:15AM; Conference Room 016.
2025-04-23 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-25 10:15AM; Conference Room 016.
2025-04-22 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-23-25 10:15AM; Conference Room 016.
2025-04-21 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-22-25 10:16AM; Conference Room 016.
2025-04-17 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-21-25 10:15AM; Conference Room 016.
2025-04-16 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 809).
2025-04-16 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Aquino Chair; Lee, C., Chang Co-Chairs; Fevella.
2025-04-15 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 731).
2025-04-14 H
House Conferees Appointed: Sayama, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; Reyes Oda.
2025-04-08 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 774).
2025-04-08 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2025-04-08 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 583).
2025-04-04 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-04-04 H
Passed Second Reading; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela excused (2).
2025-04-04 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1960), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-04-01 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.
2025-03-28 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-01-25 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-13 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, Holt, Ward, Woodson excused (4).
2025-03-13 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1178) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-03-11 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Reyes Oda.
2025-03-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-11-25 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-06 H
Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 19
2025-03-06 H
Pass First Reading
2025-03-04 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 186) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-03-04 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-02-28 S
One Day Notice 03-04-25.
2025-02-28 S
Reported from WAM/JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 926) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-26 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-02-26 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-02-21 S
The committee(s) on WAM/JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:05AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-02-06 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM/JDC.
2025-02-06 S
Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 55) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC.
2025-01-29 S
The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Moriwaki.
2025-01-29 S
Re-Referred to LBT, WAM/JDC.
2025-01-24 S
The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 01-29-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2025-01-23 S
Referred to LBT, WAM.
2025-01-21 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-01-17 S
Introduced.

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 to grieve a suspension or discharge. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB717

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

717

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.