SR 138: REQUESTING the department of human resources development to undertake A COMPREHENSIVE statewide review OF CIVIL SERVICE CLASS SPECIFICATIONS, MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, AND CLASSIFICATIONS and develop RECOMMENDATIONS for a phased modernization implementation plan.
- Session Year: 2025-2026
- House: Senate
- Latest Version Date: 2026-04-06
Current Status:
Passed
(2026-04-08: Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1).)
Introduced
In Committee
First Chamber
In Committee
Second Chamber
Final Decking
Enacted
What does this bill do?
Directs the Department of Human Resources Development to review and modernize state civil service job descriptions, minimum qualifications, classifications, and pay, and to propose a phased implementation plan. The review must identify outdated classifications and chronic vacancies, assess whether salaries are competitive, explore controlled uses of artificial intelligence under human oversight, and consult state departments, employees, and unions.
The summary is provided by generative AI which can make mistakes. For original language, please view the details in the table below.
REQUESTING the department of human resources development to undertake A COMPREHENSIVE statewide review OF CIVIL SERVICE CLASS SPECIFICATIONS, MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, AND CLASSIFICATIONS and develop RECOMMENDATIONS for a phased modernization implementation plan.
REQUESTING A COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS TO MODERNIZE THE WORKFORCE, IMPROVE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, AND EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A SUPPORT TOOL.
|
THE SENATE |
S.R. NO. |
138 |
|
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 |
S.D. 1 |
|
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
SENATE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING the department of human resources development to undertake A COMPREHENSIVE statewide review OF CIVIL SERVICE CLASS SPECIFICATIONS, MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, AND CLASSIFICATIONS and develop RECOMMENDATIONS for a phased modernization implementation plan.
WHEREAS, the State relies on a strong, skilled, and adaptable civil service workforce to deliver essential public services and to carry out the laws enacted by the Legislature; and
WHEREAS, many state civil service job descriptions and classifications were developed decades ago and no longer accurately reflect current job duties, required skills, technological competencies, or modern workplace realities; and
WHEREAS, outdated or overly rigid job descriptions can impede recruitment, discourage qualified applicants, contribute to prolonged vacancies, and reduce the State's ability to compete with private-sector and other public-sector employers; and
WHEREAS, persistent recruitment and retention challenges across multiple departments have raised concerns about workload strain, institutional knowledge loss, and the long-term sustainability of state services; and
WHEREAS, a modernized civil service system should ensure that job classifications are clear, accurate, equitable, and aligned with current labor market conditions, emerging technologies, and evolving public service needs; and
WHEREAS, advances in artificial intelligence and related technologies present opportunities to assist human expertise by reviewing, organizing, and analyzing large volumes of job description data; identifying redundancies or inconsistencies; and benchmarking classifications against comparable jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, any use of artificial intelligence in civil service reform must be transparent, auditable, free from unlawful bias, and subject to meaningful human oversight to ensure compliance with civil service merit principles, equal employment opportunity laws, and collective bargaining obligations; and
WHEREAS, ensuring that state salaries are competitive and attractive to qualified applicants requires a comprehensive assessment of existing compensation structures relative to job duties, required qualifications, cost of living, and comparable public-sector employers; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Department of Human Resources Development is requested to undertake a comprehensive statewide review of civil service class specifications, minimum qualifications, and classifications; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the review is requested to include, but not be limited to:
(1) A systematic survey of existing civil service class specifications and minimum qualifications to determine whether they accurately reflect current duties, responsibilities, required competencies, and working conditions;
(2) An evaluation of classification structures to identify outdated classifications, unnecessary fragmentation, or opportunities for consolidation and modernization;
(3) An assessment of salary ranges and compensation structures for civil service positions, including an analysis of whether current salaries are competitive and attractive to applicants when compared to relevant public-sector and private-sector labor markets, taking into account the State's cost of living;
(4) The identification of positions experiencing chronic vacancies or recruitment difficulties, and an analysis of potential contributing factors;
(5) An exploration of the potential use of artificial intelligence and data-analysis tools, under strict human supervision, to assist in organizing, comparing, and analyzing job descriptions and classification data, provided that such tools are not used to make final determinations affecting individual employees; and
(6) Consultation with state departments, employees, unions, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that any proposed changes respect collective bargaining agreements, civil service protections, and workforce equity considerations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Resources Development is encouraged to develop recommendations for a phased implementation plan to modernize civil service job descriptions and classifications, including any statutory, administrative, or budgetary changes that may be necessary; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Resources Development is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Director of Human Resources Development.
Department of Human Resources Development; Civil Service; Job Descriptions; Job Classifications
|
THE SENATE |
S.R. NO. |
138 |
|
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 |
|
|
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
SENATE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS TO MODERNIZE THE WORKFORCE, IMPROVE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, AND EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A SUPPORT TOOL.
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii relies on a strong, skilled, and adaptable civil service workforce to deliver essential public services and to carry out the laws enacted by the Legislature; and
WHEREAS, many state civil service job descriptions and classifications were developed decades ago and no longer accurately reflect current job duties, required skills, technological competencies, or modern workplace realities; and
WHEREAS, outdated or overly rigid job descriptions can impede recruitment, discourage qualified applicants, contribute to prolonged vacancies, and reduce the State's ability to compete with private-sector and other public-sector employers; and
WHEREAS, persistent recruitment and retention challenges across multiple departments have raised concerns about workload strain, institutional knowledge loss, and the long-term sustainability of state services; and
WHEREAS, a modernized civil service system should ensure that job classifications are clear, accurate, equitable, and aligned with current labor market conditions, emerging technologies, and evolving public service needs; and
WHEREAS, advances in artificial intelligence and related technologies present opportunities to assist human expertise by reviewing, organizing, and analyzing large volumes of job description data; identifying redundancies or inconsistencies; and benchmarking classifications against comparable jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, any use of artificial intelligence in civil service reform must be transparent, auditable, free from unlawful bias, and subject to meaningful human oversight to ensure compliance with civil service merit principles, equal employment opportunity laws, and collective bargaining obligations; and
WHEREAS, ensuring that state salaries are competitive and attractive to qualified applicants requires a comprehensive assessment of existing compensation structures relative to job duties, required qualifications, cost of living, and comparable public-sector employers; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Legislature requests the Department of Human Resources Development to undertake a comprehensive, statewide review of civil service job descriptions and classifications; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this review is requested to include, but not be limited to:
(1) A systematic survey of existing civil service job descriptions to determine whether they accurately reflect current duties, responsibilities, required competencies, and working conditions;
(2) An evaluation of classification structures to identify outdated classifications, unnecessary fragmentation, or opportunities for consolidation and modernization;
(3) An assessment of salary ranges and compensation structures for civil service positions, including an analysis of whether current salaries are competitive and attractive to applicants when compared to relevant public-sector and private-sector labor markets, taking into account Hawaii's cost of living;
(4) The identification of positions experiencing chronic vacancies or recruitment difficulties, and an analysis of whether job description content, minimum qualification requirements, or compensation levels are contributing factors;
(5) An exploration of the potential use of artificial intelligence and data-analysis tools, under strict human supervision, to assist in organizing, comparing, and analyzing job descriptions and classification data, provided that such tools are not used to make final determinations affecting individual employees; and
(6) Consultation with state departments, employees, unions, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that any proposed changes respect collective bargaining agreements, civil service protections, and workforce equity considerations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Resources Development is encouraged to develop recommendations for a phased implementation plan to modernize civil service job descriptions and classifications, including any statutory, administrative, or budgetary changes that may be necessary; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Resources Development is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Director of Human Resources Development.
|
|
OFFERED BY: |
_____________________________ |
|
|
|
|
Department of Human Resources Development; Civil Service; Job Descriptions; Job Classifications
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| Apr 8, 2026 | Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1). |
| Apr 7, 2026 | One Day Notice 04-08-26. |
| Apr 7, 2026 | Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3440) with recommendation of adoption, as amended (SD 1). |
| Mar 27, 2026 | 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) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Fevella. |
| Mar 24, 2026 | The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-27-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. |
| Mar 19, 2026 | Referred to LBT. |
| Mar 16, 2026 | Offered. |
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Votes
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2026 | The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS | Senate Standing Committee on Labor and Technology |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
|
Organization
|
Position
|
Date
|
|---|---|---|
| Department of Human Resources Development | *** Support | Mar 27, 2026 |
| United Public Workers (UPW), AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO | *** Support | Mar 27, 2026 |
|
Date
|
Testimony PDF
|
|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2026 | SR138_TESTIMONY_LBT_03-27-26_.PDF |
Bill Author
