Hawaii House Bill HB2597

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/24/24
• Refer: 1/26/24

Caption

Relating To Collective Bargaining.

Impact

If enacted, the bill ensures that the rights, benefits, and privileges currently held by these investigators will be preserved during the transition, thereby maintaining their existing collective bargaining agreements until new agreements are negotiated for the new bargaining unit. This is crucial as it prevents any interruption in service or degradation of benefits that these employees currently enjoy under their previous classification. The impact of this legislation may extend to how cases are managed and resources allocated within the law enforcement community in Hawaii due to the potential restructuring of workers within the department.

Summary

House Bill 2597 aims to amend Hawaii’s collective bargaining framework for specific state investigators who operate under various divisions of the Department of Law Enforcement. The bill proposes to transition investigators from the Criminal Investigation Division, Narcotics Enforcement Division, Office of Homeland Security Division, Office of the Inspector General Division, and Sheriff Division from collective bargaining unit (13) to collective bargaining unit (14), explicitly categorizing them among state law enforcement officers. This change is intended to formalize their roles and ensure that their collective bargaining representation aligns with the law enforcement standards established within state statutes.

Contention

While proponents argue that this alignment will enhance the integrity and authority of the investigators' roles, potential contentions could arise regarding the appropriateness of this reclassification. Critics might express concerns about the implications of reclassifying these positions and whether it effectively addresses the underlying issues of labor representation without creating further divisions among law enforcement and other state employee groups. Additionally, questions around the autonomy of investigative units and their operational effectiveness under new collective agreements may arise.