The Hawaii legislature voted Wednesday to override Gov. David Ige's veto of a bill that provides severance payments or pension benefits to public workers at three hospitals Kaiser Permanente is privatizing, reports Civil Beat.
The vote occurred during a special session lawmakers called after Gov. Ige vetoed Senate Bill 2077. The bill aims to financially assist state employees affected by the privatization of Maui Memorial in Wailuku, Kula (Hawaii) Hospital and Clinic and Lanai Community Hospital in Lanai City. Kaiser is scheduled to take over the facilities Oct. 1, however union employees' contracts do not expire until June 2017.
Gov. Ige initially vetoed the bill over concerns it jeopardizes the Employees' Retirement System's tax-exempt status and that it fails to say where it will appropriate funding. Officials estimate Bill 2077 will cost between $25 million and $75 million to implement, according to the article.
The bill will affect about 1,500 unionized hospital employees.