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     WHEREAS, outdated or overly rigid job descriptions can impede recruitment, discourage qualified applicants, contribute to prolonged vacancies, and reduce the State's ability to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:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Department of Human Resources Development; Civil Service; Job Descriptions; Job Classifications