Hawaii House Bill HB69

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/25
• Refer: 1/21/25

Caption

Relating To A Compensatory Time Cash-out Pilot Program.

Summary

HB69 establishes a three-year compensatory time cash-out pilot program within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for employees who work in any state correctional facility. The bill is aimed at addressing staffing shortages, absenteeism, burnout, and high overtime costs in correctional settings by allowing eligible employees to voluntarily receive a cash allowance for part of their accrued compensatory time off at the end of each fiscal quarter. Under the pilot, an eligible employee may be offered cash equal to up to 75 percent of compensatory time accrued during the quarter, with eligibility and implementation rules to be set by mutual agreement between the department and the applicable collective bargaining representative. The department must also submit annual reports to the Legislature in 2026, 2027, and 2028 detailing participation, overtime changes, costs, payout percentages, and any other relevant findings, and the bill appropriates general funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support the program.

Impact

The bill would create a new temporary program affecting Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation employees in state correctional facilities and would require the department to develop rules, in consultation with the exclusive representative of the relevant bargaining unit, to determine eligibility and administration. It also adds a reporting requirement to the department and appropriates state general funds for implementation, potentially affecting overtime practices, labor-management agreements, and compensation administration within correctional facilities.

Sentiment

The bill appears generally supportive of correctional workforce retention and operational stability, with the legislative findings framing the proposal as a response to burnout, absenteeism, and costly overtime. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented opposition or support beyond the bill’s stated rationale and purpose.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the use of public funds for cash payouts, the extent to which compensatory time should be monetized before employees leave or retire, and how eligibility will be defined through rulemaking and collective bargaining. Another likely issue is whether the pilot will actually reduce overtime and absenteeism enough to justify its cost, since the bill requires reporting on those outcomes but does not itself establish a guaranteed savings threshold.