Kawashima v. State, Department of Education. ( 2017 )

*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Electronically Filed
Supreme Court
SCAP-15-0000462
28-JUN-2017
08:17 AM
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAI#I
---o0o---
DIANE KAWASHIMA, individually and
on behalf of all others similarly situated,
Petitioner/Plaintiff-Appellee/Cross-Appellant,
vs.
STATE OF HAWAI#I, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION;
KATHRYN S. MATAYOSHI, in her official capacity as
Superintendent of Schools; LANCE A. MIZUMOTO, BRIAN J.
DELIMA, PATRICIA BERGIN, GRANT Y.M. CHUN, MAGGIE COX,
HUBERT MINN, KENNETH UEMURA, BRUCE VOSS, JIM WILLIAMS,
ANDREA LYN MATEO, and COLONEL PETER P. SANTA ANA,
in their official capacities as members of the
STATE OF HAWAI#I BOARD OF EDUCATION,
Respondents/Defendants-Appellants/Cross-Appellees,
(SCAP-15-0000462; CAAP-15-0000462; CIV. NO. 06-1-0244)
DAVID GARNER, PATRICIA SMITH, ANDREA CHRISTIE, ALLAN KLITERNICK,
KAREN SOUZA, JO JENNIFER GOLDSMITH, and DAVID HUDSON,
on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated,
Petitioners/Plaintiffs-Appellees,
vs.
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
STATE OF HAWAI#I, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
Respondents/Defendants-Appellants.
(SCAP-15-0000462; CAAP-15-0000462; CIV. NO. 03-1-000305)
--------------------------------------------------------
ALLAN KLITERNICK, DAVID GARNER, JO JENNIFER GOLDSMITH,
and DAVID HUDSON, individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, Petitioners/Plaintiffs-Appellees,
vs.
KATHRYN S. MATAYOSHI, in her official capacity as
Superintendent of Schools, LANCE A. MIZUMOTO, BRIAN J. DELIMA,
PATRICIA BERGIN, GRANT Y.M. CHUN, MAGGIE COX, HUBERT MINN,
KENNETH UEMURA, BRUCE VOSS, JIM WILLIAMS, ANDREA LYN MATEO, and
COLONEL PETER P. SANTA ANA, in their official capacity as members
of the STATE OF HAWAI#I BOARD OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, STATE OF HAWAI#I, Respondents/Defendants-Appellants.
(SCAP-15-0000462; CAAP-15-0000462; CIV. NO. 05-1-00031)
SCAP-15-0000462
APPEALS FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT
JUNE 28, 2017
RECKTENWALD, C.J., NAKAYAMA, AND WILSON, JJ.,
CIRCUIT JUDGE CHANG, IN PLACE OF McKENNA, J., RECUSED,
AND CIRCUIT JUDGE CRANDALL, IN PLACE OF POLLACK, J., RECUSED
OPINION OF THE COURT BY RECKTENWALD, C.J.
I. Introduction
This is a consolidated case involving substitute and
part-time temporary teachers who were employed by the State of
Hawai#i, Department of Education (“State” or “DOE”), and who
claim they were underpaid by the State.
Plaintiffs in the Garner case include more than 8,000
2
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
substitute teachers (collectively “Garner Plaintiffs” or
“substitute teachers”) who were paid on a per diem basis.
Approximately half of the substitute teachers in Garner also
worked in a part-time capacity for which they were paid hourly
wages.
During a prior interlocutory appeal in Garner, the
Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) found that the circuit court
properly ruled that the substitute teachers were underpaid and
thus entitled to their per diem back wages pursuant to Hawai#i
Revised Statutes (HRS) § 302A-624(e). See Garner v. State, 122
Hawai#i 150, 154-55, 223 P.3d 215, 219-20 (App. 2009) (Garner I).
On remand, the circuit court ruled that the Plaintiff class
included the substitute teachers who were paid hourly wages and
calculated the amount of those wages due, and that Plaintiffs
were entitled to interest on their hourly and per diem back wages
under HRS § 103-10.
In 2014, the State paid a partial settlement to Garner
Plaintiffs in the amount of $14,031,874.70, which settled all per
diem wage claims for the claim period from November 8, 2000
through June 30, 2005. The State continued to dispute its
liability regarding the payment of the substitute teachers’
hourly back wages, and whether the teachers are entitled to
interest on their per diem and hourly wages.
3
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
In 2015, the Circuit Court of the First Circuit
(circuit court) entered final judgment in Garner, awarding hourly
back wages to Plaintiffs who worked in a part-time capacity in
the amount of $6,789,175.21 for the period from November 8, 2000
through June 12, 2012.1 The circuit court also awarded interest
on both the per diem and hourly back wages owed, in the amount of
$13,542,186.74.
Plaintiffs in the Kawashima case include approximately
20,000 part-time temporary teachers (collectively “Kawashima
Plaintiffs,” “part-time teachers” or “PTTs”) who were paid on an
hourly basis. Similar to the substitute teachers claiming hourly
back wages in Garner, the PTTs in Kawashima argued that their
hourly pay rate, which was set forth in School Code Regulation
5203, was linked to the substitute teachers’ per diem pay rate
under HRS § 302A-624(e). Thus, based on the claimed linkage
between Regulation 5203 and HRS § 302A-624(e), the PTTs argued
that because the substitute teachers were underpaid, they too
were underpaid. The circuit court in Kawashima ruled that the
PTTs were underpaid and entitled to hourly back wages in the
amount of $24,026,329.52 for the period from February 20, 2004
through June 12, 2012.2 In contrast to Garner, however, the
1
In Garner, the Honorable Karl K. Sakamoto presided.
2
In Kawashima, the Honorable Edwin C. Nacino presided.
4
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
circuit court in Kawashima ruled that the PTTs were not entitled
to interest on their unpaid hourly wages under HRS § 103-10.
Nevertheless, the circuit court determined that had Plaintiffs
been entitled to interest on their hourly back wages under HRS
§ 103-10, they would have been entitled to interest payments in
the amount of $9,450,085.40.
On appeal in Garner, the State argues that the circuit
court erred in: (1) determining that Plaintiffs’ claims for
hourly back wages were “properly part of this case”; (2)
determining that School Code Regulation 5203 is an HRS chapter 91
rule; (3) granting summary judgment in favor of the substitute
teachers on their hourly back wages contract claim; and (4)
determining that the substitute teachers were entitled to
interest on their hourly and per diem back wages under HRS § 103-
10.
On appeal in Kawashima, the State argues that the
circuit court erred in: (1) determining that School Code
Regulation 5203 is an HRS chapter 91 rule; and (2) denying the
State’s motion for summary judgment on the PTTs’ hourly back
wages contract claim. Kawashima Plaintiffs also cross-appealed
the circuit court’s rulings, arguing that they are entitled to
interest on their unpaid hourly wages under HRS § 103-10.
This court accepted transfer of both Garner and
5
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Kawashima, and subsequently consolidated the cases.
We conclude that Plaintiffs are not entitled to hourly
back wages, or interest on any back wages (whether per diem or
hourly) under HRS § 103-10. Because we decide the case on the
merits, we do not reach the question of whether the substitute
teachers’ hourly back wages were properly within the scope of the
Garner Plaintiffs’ claims.
Therefore, the circuit court’s May 19, 2015 judgment in
Garner is reversed and remanded for entry of judgment in favor of
the State. Additionally, the circuit court’s May 18, 2015
judgment in Kawashima is affirmed in part to the extent that the
circuit court determined that Plaintiffs are not entitled to
interest under HRS § 103-10, and reversed on all other remaining
grounds and remanded for entry of judgment in favor of the State.
II. Background
We first provide essential background information
regarding the compensation of substitute teachers and PTTs
employed by the State.
A. Substitute Teachers’ Compensation
In 1996, the legislature recodified the education
statutes and enacted HRS § 302A-624(e) (Supp. 1997), which
established the following per diem rate of pay for substitute
teachers:
6
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
(e) Effective July 1, 1996, the per diem rate for
substitute teachers shall be based on the annual entry
step salary rate established for a Class II teacher on
the most current teachers’ salary schedule. The per
diem rate shall be derived from the annual rate in
accordance with the following formula:
Per Diem Rate = Annual Salary Rate ÷ 12 months ÷ 21
Average Working Days Per Month.
A “Class II teacher” is defined as “any teacher who
holds a certificate issued by the department based upon four
acceptable years of college education and other requirements as
may be established by the department[.]”3 HRS § 302A-618(b)(2)
(Supp. 1997).
3
Subsection (e) remained in effect as enacted until 2005, when the
legislature amended it as follows:
(e) Effective July 1, 2005, the minimum hourly or
minimum per diem rate for substitute teachers shall be
determined by the legislature; provided that the
department shall develop a classification and
compensation schedule that is not restricted to the
minimum compensation rates but may exceed them;
provided further that any individual in class I, II or
III who works less than a full seven-hour work day
shall be compensated on a prorated, hourly basis as
follows:
(1) Class I: other individuals who do not possess a
bachelor’s degree shall be compensated at a rate of
not less than $119.80 for a full work day;
(2) Class II: individuals with a bachelor’s degree
shall be compensated at a rate of not less than $130
for a full work day; and
(3) Class III: department of education teachers, or
licensed or highly qualified teachers, shall be
compensated at a rate of not less than $140 for a full
work day.
HRS § 302A-624(e) (Supp. 2005).
None of the issues in this appeal concern HRS § 302A-624(e) (Supp.
2005), and all further references to HRS § 302A-624(e) refer to HRS § 302A-
624(e) (Supp. 1997).
7
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
B. Part-Time Teachers’ Compensation
Since at least 1945, the DOE has had a body of internal
guidelines called the “School Code.” In 1976, the Board of
Education (BOE) adopted School Code Regulation 5203, which linked
the hourly wage of PTTs to the per diem wage paid to substitute
teachers. Regulation 5203 provides:
E. Part-time Temporary Teachers (Academic and Non-
Academic)
EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 1976:
Pay rates for Part-time Temporary Teachers
(Academic and Non-Academic) employed on an
hourly basis shall be based on the most current
Per Diem Rates established for Substitute
Teachers as follows:
Class I Per Diem Rate for Substitute
Teacher
Class II Per Diem Rate for Substitute
Teacher
Class III Per Diem Rate for Substitute
Teacher
Hourly Rates shall be derived from Per Diem
Rates in accordance with the following formula:
*Hourly Rate = Per Diem Rate ÷ 6 average
working hours per day
The regulation remained unamended until 2005, when the
first of a series of changes occurred. In January 2005, the DOE
issued a new version of the Regulation 5203, which stated,
“Compensation for Part-time Temporary Teachers on an hourly basis
shall be determined by the [DOE].” In a July 2005 memorandum,
Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto adjusted the pay rate of PTTs as
follows:
8
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Beginning July 1, 2005, all employees hired as
part-time teachers will be assigned to two classes.
Compensation will be determined by the academic
qualifications of the employee. The following is a
breakdown of the classes:
• Class A: Employees with a minimum of a
Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited
institution.
Compensation Rate: $22.43 per hour
• Class B: Employees with no Bachelor’s Degree.
Compensation Rate: $20.67 per hour
Payment for these employees will be retroactive to
July 1, 2005.
In 2006, the BOE retroactively ratified the
Superintendent’s July 2005 memorandum establishing the PTTs’ pay
rate. In 2009, the DOE issued “Standard Practice Document SP
5203” (SP 5203), which was intended to supersede Regulation 5203
that was amended January 2005. SP 5203 stated that compensation
for PTTs “shall be determined by the Department.” In 2012, the
DOE adopted Hawai#i Administrative Rules (HAR) chapter 8-66
(effective June 14, 2012) pursuant to HRS chapter 91’s rulemaking
procedures, which provided compensation rates for part-time
temporary teachers.4
4
HAR § 8-66-7 provides:
Compensation classes. A part-time temporary teacher
shall be assigned to a compensation class based on the
academic qualifications of the individual. The two
classes of compensation are:
(1) Class A for part-time temporary teachers
with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an
accredited institution of higher learning; and
(2) Class B for all part-time temporary teachers
not included in Class A.
(continued...)
9
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
C. Garner Circuit Court Proceedings
In 2002, Plaintiffs David Garner, Patricia Smith,
Andrea Christie, and Allan Kliternick filed a class action
complaint in the Circuit Court of the Second Circuit, claiming
that the DOE failed to pay the substitute teachers’ wages
mandated by HRS § 302A-624(e), and seeking back pay for the 2000-
2001, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003 school years.5
The circuit court certified the Plaintiff class in
Garner to include:
[a]ll persons who have served in position numbers
75100, 75101, 75102, as identified on a DOE SF-5 as a
substitute teacher for the Hawaii DOE at public
schools of the State of Hawaii from November 8, 2000
through the present.
The class includes approximately 8,000 substitute
teachers. Approximately half of the substitute teachers in
Garner also worked in a part-time capacity for which they were
paid hourly wages, and argue that they are entitled to both their
per diem back wages and hourly back wages.
4
(...continued)
HAR § 8-66-8 provides:
Compensation rates. The hourly rate for the classes
of part-time temporary teachers are as follows:
(1) Class A: $22.43 per hour; or
(2) Class B: $20.67 per hour.
5
In 2003, the Garner lawsuit was transferred from the Second
Circuit to the First Circuit and assigned to then-Judge (now Justice)
Richard W. Pollack. The case was subsequently reassigned to the Honorable
Karen Ahn in 2004, and then reassigned to the Honorable Karl K. Sakamoto in
2008.
10
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
In 2005, Plaintiffs Allan Kliternick, David Garner, Jo
Jennifer Goldsmith, and David Hudson filed a similar class action
complaint in Kliternick v. Hamamoto (Kliternick case), which
covered the 2004-2005 school year. Garner and Kliternick were
consolidated (collectively, the “Garner” case).
In Garner, Plaintiffs raised two claims for relief in
their operative complaint, seeking monetary damages and
injunctive relief for: 1) violation of HRS § 302A-624(e)
(underpaying the substitute teachers); and (2) violation of
contract rights (breach of obligation to pay teachers per diem
rate under HRS § 302A-624(e)). The State moved for summary
judgment as to all claims and parties, and Garner Plaintiffs
moved for partial summary judgment with respect to liability for
damages for the period from November 8, 2000 to June 30, 2005.
The circuit court granted in part and denied in part Garner
Plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment, ruling, inter
alia, that the State violated its contractual obligation to pay
the substitute teachers per diem wages prescribed by HRS § 302A-
624(e). However, the circuit court ruled that the State had
sovereign immunity as to prejudgment interest, and thus denied
Garner Plaintiffs any prejudgment interest. The circuit court
then authorized an interlocutory appeal from its summary judgment
order.
11
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
The ICA affirmed, inter alia, the circuit court’s
determination that the DOE violated its obligation to pay the
substitute teachers by failing to pay the per diem rate
prescribed by HRS § 302A-624(e). Garner I, 122 Hawai#i at 154,
223 P.3d at 219. The ICA also ruled that: (1) pursuant to HRS §
661-1,6 the substitute teachers’ claim for breach of contract
damages was not barred by sovereign immunity; (2) HRS § 302A-
624(e), as a pay mandating statute, provided an alternative basis
for invoking jurisdiction under the “founded upon any statute”
language in HRS § 661-1; and (3) HRS § 661-87 barred any award of
6
HRS § 661-1 (1993) (Jurisdiction) provides:
The several circuit courts of the State and, except as
otherwise provided by statute or rule, the several
state district courts, subject to appeal as provided
by law, shall have original jurisdiction to hear and
determine the following matters, and, unless otherwise
provided by law, shall determine all questions of fact
involved without the intervention of a jury:
(1) All claims against the State founded upon
any statute of the State; upon any rule of an
executive department; or upon any contract, expressed
or implied, with the State, and all claims which may
be referred to any such court by the legislature;
provided that no action shall be maintained, nor shall
any process issue against the State, based on any
contract or any act of any state officer that the
officer is not authorized to make or do by the laws of
the State, nor upon any other cause of action than as
herein set forth . . . .
7
HRS § 661-8 (1993) (Interest) provides:
No interest shall be allowed on any claim up to the
time of the rendition of judgment thereon by the
court, unless upon a contract expressly stipulating
for the payment of interest, or upon a refund of a
payment into the “litigated claims fund” as provided
by law.
12
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
prejudgment interest under HRS § 478-2.8 Id. The ICA
specifically rejected the State’s argument that the substitute
teachers had assented to a lower rate of pay than required by HRS
§302A-624(e), reasoning that it was part of the parties’
agreement that the rate of pay was “subject to applicable State
laws,” and the parties “could not contract to violate a law
determining the rate of pay.”9 Id. at 170, 223 P.3d at 235
(citations omitted).
On remand, the substitute teachers pursued a different
theory regarding their interest claim and moved for an award of
interest on their unpaid per diem wages pursuant to HRS § 103-10
8
HRS § 478-2 (1993) (Legal rate; computation) provides:
When there is no express written contract fixing a
different rate of interest, interest shall be allowed
at the rate of ten per cent a year, except that, with
respect to obligations of the State, interest shall be
allowed at the prime rate for each calendar quarter
but in no event shall exceed ten per cent a year, as
follows:
(1) For money due on any bond, bill, promissory
note, or other instrument of writing, or for money
lent, after it becomes due;
(2) For money due on the settlement of accounts,
from the day on which the balance is ascertained;
(3) For money received to the use of another,
from the date of a demand made; and
(4) For money upon an open account, after sixty
days from the date of the last item or transaction.
As used in this section, “prime rate” means the prime
rate as posted in the Wall Street Journal on the first
business day of the month preceding the calendar
quarter.
9
Both sides filed applications for writ of certiorari, and both
applications were rejected.
13
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
(1993).10 At a hearing on the motion, the circuit court
explained that according to Garner I, the substitute teachers
were unquestionably in a contractual relationship with the State,
and that HRS § 103-10 was a “pertinent statute incorporated by
the contractual relationship.” Thus, the circuit court
determined that HRS § 103-10 “constitute[d] a contract expressly
stipulating for the payment of interest as required under [HRS §]
661-8,” and concluded that Garner Plaintiffs were entitled to
10
HRS § 103-10 (1993) provides in relevant part:
(a) Any person who renders a proper statement for
goods delivered or services performed, pursuant to
contract, to any agency of the State or any county,
shall be paid no later than thirty calendar days
following receipt of the statement or satisfactory
delivery of the goods or performance of the services.
In the event circumstances prevent the paying agency
from complying with this section, the person shall be
entitled to interest from the paying agency on the
principal amount remaining unpaid at a rate equal to
the prime rate for each calendar quarter plus two per
cent, commencing on the thirtieth day following
receipt of the statement or satisfactory delivery of
the goods or performance of the services, whichever is
later, and ending on the date of the check. As used in
this subsection, “prime rate” means the prime rate as
posted in the Wall Street Journal on the first
business day of the month preceding the calendar
quarter.
(b) This section shall not apply in those cases
where delay in payment is due to:
(1) A bona fide dispute between the State or
any county and the contractor concerning the services
or goods contracted for;
(2) A labor dispute;
(3) A power or mechanical failure;
(4) Fire;
(5) Acts of God; or
(6) Any similar circumstances beyond the
control of the State or any county.
14
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
interest on their per diem back pay under HRS § 103-10.11
The State moved for a ruling as to the scope of the
Garner Plaintiff class, and sought to preclude the Garner class
members’ recovery for unpaid hourly wages, seeking to limit
recovery to only per diem wages. Garner Plaintiffs filed a
counter motion, seeking to affirm the scope of the class, or in
the alternative to amend the class definition or the complaint.
The circuit court granted Garner Plaintiffs’ motion and denied
the State’s motion, ruling that the class members were entitled
to recover both per diem and hourly back wages.
Garner Plaintiffs then sought summary judgment for
hourly back wages owed and interest thereon under HRS § 103-10.
The State filed a counter summary judgment motion. During a
hearing on both motions, the circuit court stated that in the
“interest of comity,” it would follow the circuit court’s ruling
in the Kawashima case, finding that Regulation 5203 has the same
force and effect as law and is subject to HRS chapter 91.12 The
circuit court also determined that HRS § 103-10 was incorporated
into the parties’ contracts and awarded interest on the
11
The circuit court further stated that the HRS § 478-2 analysis in
Garner I did not apply here, and applied only to situations in which there was
an absence of an express contract, which was distinguishable from the instant
case.
12
The Kawashima circuit court’s ruling is discussed infra, Section
II.D.
15
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
substitute teachers’ hourly back wages. The circuit court
subsequently filed an order granting Garner Plaintiffs’ motion
and denying the State’s motion, ruling that the substitute
teachers who also worked in a part-time capacity were entitled to
hourly back wages from November 8, 2000 until June 14, 2012 and
interest thereon under HRS § 103-10.
In 2014, the State paid a partial settlement to Garner
Plaintiffs in the amount of $14,031,874.70, which settled all per
diem wage claims for the claim period from November 8, 2000
through June 30, 2005. The State continued to dispute its
liability regarding the payment of hourly back wages.
On May 19, 2015, the circuit court entered final
judgment, awarding $6,789,175.21 to the substitute teachers for
their hourly back wages, and $13,542,186.74 for interest owed
under HRS § 103-10 on the hourly and per diem back wages through
May 18, 2015.
D. Kawashima Circuit Court Proceedings
In 2006, Diane Kawashima filed a class action
complaint, alleging that the DOE had underpaid all PTTs because
DOE’s School Code Regulation 5203 linked the hourly pay rates of
PTTs to the per diem pay rates for substitute teachers.13
13
On February 13, 2006, Kawashima filed a motion to intervene in the
Garner case. Garner I, 122 Hawaii at 154, 223 P.3d at 219. On April 27,
2006, the circuit court denied the motion. Id.
16
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Kawashima argued that because the DOE underpaid the substitute
teachers, it followed that the DOE underpaid the PTTs as well.
Kawashima moved for class certification, and the
circuit court granted the motion, appointing Kawashima as class
representative for a certified class of:
All persons employed by the State of Hawai#i
Department of Education, who were paid according to
the pay rates for Part-Time Teachers with or without a
differential (excluding the class members in [the
Garner and Kliternick cases]) at any time within the
applicable statute of limitations.
The Kawashima case was stayed pending resolution of the
interlocutory appeal in the Garner case. After the ICA issued
its decision in Garner I, the stay was lifted.14 Kawashima
Plaintiffs then filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing
that: (1) the DOE’s School Code Regulation 5203 expressly linked
the hourly pay rate for PTTs to the most current per diem pay
rate for substitute teachers, and because the State had underpaid
the substitute teachers, the State had necessarily underpaid the
PTTs; and (2) the DOE’s and BOE’s “litigation-driven” attempts to
amend Regulation 5203 beginning in January 2005 were improper and
ineffective.
At the hearing on the motion, the circuit court
determined that Regulation 5203 has the “same force and effect as
law,” and is subject to HRS chapter 91. The court also found
14
The Honorable Edwin C. Nacino presided from this point forward.
17
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
that Regulation 5203 did not fall under the two exceptions of an
HRS chapter 91 rule because it did not involve internal
management or affect the private rights of the public. The court
reasoned that Regulation 5203 should have the same force and
effect as law because it “in all shape and form, refers to [HRS
§] 302A-624(e) with regards to how the part-time teachers should
be paid.” Accordingly, the circuit court granted Kawashima
Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. Because the court
determined that Regulation 5203 is an HRS chapter 91 rule, any
amendments to Regulation 5203 would have had to be made in
accordance with HRS chapter 91’s rulemaking processes, which was
not completed until 2012 when the DOE adopted HAR chapter 8-66.
However, if the court had determined the Regulation 5203 was not
a rule, the DOE could have amended Regulation 5203 at any time,
and it would not have been subject to HRS chapter 91’s
restrictions.
Kawashima Plaintiffs filed a motion for interest under
HRS § 103-10 on the hourly unpaid wages, arguing that the circuit
court’s ruling in Garner that awarded substitute teachers
interest on their per diem back wages under HRS § 103-10 was
persuasive. The circuit court denied the motion without
prejudice. Kawashima Plaintiffs filed a renewed motion for
interest, arguing that the circuit court’s ruling in Garner that
18
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
the substitute teachers were entitled to interest on both their
hourly and per diem back wages under HRS § 103-10 was persuasive.
The circuit court denied Kawashima Plaintiffs’ renewed motion.
Kawashima Plaintiffs filed a second renewed motion for summary
judgment for interest, and the State filed a cross-motion for
partial summary judgment as to interest. At the hearing on the
motions, the circuit court determined that HRS § 103-10 did not
apply to Kawashima Plaintiffs, and that the purpose and intent of
HRS § 103-10 “is to address goods and services being provided by
independent contractors, small business people, [and] maybe
persons in general [that are] not even considered a contractor
but [are] providing a service or goods to the State.” Thus, the
circuit court granted the State’s motion and denied Kawashima
Plaintiffs’ second renewed motion, ruling that as a matter of
law, Kawashima Plaintiffs were not entitled to interest on their
hourly back wages under HRS § 103-10.
In 2015, Kawashima Plaintiffs moved for summary
judgment to establish the amount of hourly back wages Plaintiffs
were owed, and the interest thereon under HRS § 103-10 had they
been entitled to it. The circuit court granted Kawashima
Plaintiffs’ motion, and on May 18, 2015, entered final judgment,
establishing that Kawashima Plaintiffs were entitled to damages
in the amount of $24,026,329.52 for their hourly back wages for
19
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
the period from February 20, 2004 through June 12, 2012. The
circuit court also determined that had Plaintiffs been entitled
to interest on their hourly unpaid wages under HRS § 103-10, they
would have been entitled to $9,450,085.40 through May 6, 2015.
E. Garner Appeal
The State argues on appeal that the circuit court erred
in: (1) determining that the substitute teachers’ hourly back
wages were properly within the scope of Plaintiffs’ claims, (2)
determining that Regulation 5203 is an HRS chapter 91 rule, (3)
granting summary judgment in favor of the substitute teachers on
their hourly back wages contract claim, and (4) determining that
the substitute teachers were entitled to interest on their hourly
and per diem back wages under HRS § 103-10.
First, the State argues that the Garner Plaintiffs’
claims did not include their hourly back wages, and that the
trial court ignored prior rulings and the ICA’s decision in
Garner I when adding these claims. Second, the State argues that
Regulation 5203 is not an HRS chapter 91 rule because it was not
adopted pursuant to rulemaking procedures, and even if it was,
the State employees’ wages are a matter of internal concern and
should not be determined by rule. Third, the State argues that
the substitute teachers were paid the amount they contracted for,
and that they do not have a valid contract claim for the alleged
20
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
additional wages owed. Fourth, the State argues that Garner
Plaintiffs are not entitled interest under HRS § 103-10 because
the ICA already ruled on that issue in Garner I and prejudgment
interest is not allowed.
In response, Garner Plaintiffs first argue that the
class members who worked for both per diem and hourly wages are
entitled to recover all their back wages because the class
membership included teachers in all of their roles, the circuit
court did not limit the scope of damages, and the State was given
fair notice that hourly wages, as well as per diem wages, were in
dispute. Second, Garner Plaintiffs argue that they are entitled
to wages mandated by Regulation 5203 because the State did not
lawfully sever the link between Regulation 5203 and HRS § 302A-
624 until June 2012 when it followed HRS chapter 91 rulemaking
procedures. Third, Garner Plaintiffs argue that with respect to
their contracts, the State cannot ignore the law and must pay its
employees lawfully prescribed rates of pay. Fourth, Garner
Plaintiffs argue that the circuit court had not previously
addressed the issue of interest under HRS § 103-10, and that HRS
§ 103-10 is a “specific, targeted ‘pay-mandating’ immunity-
waiving statute” that “creates a separate, enforceable waiver.”
F. Kawashima Appeal
In Kawashima, the State raises similar contentions as
21
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
in the Garner appeal. In response, Kawashima Plaintiffs argue
that the State cannot enter into or enforce contracts that are
contrary to law, and that this issue was resolved in Garner I.
Kawashima Plaintiffs also argue that the BOE had sole authority
over the PTTs’ pay rates, and that it did not act in accordance
with HRS chapter 91, HRS chapter 89C, and HRS § 302A-1112,15
until June 2012 at the earliest.
On cross-appeal, Kawashima Plaintiffs raise one issue:
whether the circuit court erred in denying the PTTs interest on
their unpaid hourly wages under HRS § 103-10. Kawashima
Plaintiffs argue that the State has no immunity against an award
of interest under HRS § 103-10 because it is an “immunity-
waiving, money-mandating statute,” and that it applies broadly to
“persons” and “contractors.” In response, the State argues that
HRS § 103-10 is not applicable here because it applies only to
contractors with claims covered by the Procurement Code.
G. Transfer Applications
Kawashima and Garner Plaintiffs filed applications for
transfer to this court, and we granted transfer in both cases.
15
HRS § 302A-1112 (1996) (Rules) provides:
Subject to chapter 91, the board may adopt rules for
the government of all teachers, educational officers,
other personnel, and pupils, and for carrying out the
transaction of its business.
22
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
The cases were subsequently consolidated.
III. Standards of Review
A. Summary Judgment
The appellate court reviews “the circuit court’s grant
or denial of summary judgment de novo.” Querubin v. Thronas, 107
Hawai#i 48, 56, 109 P.3d 689, 697 (2005) (quoting Durette v.
Aloha Plastic Recycling, Inc., 105 Hawai#i 490, 501, 100 P.3d 60,
71 (2004)). Accordingly,
[o]n appeal, an order of summary judgment is reviewed
under the same standard applied by the circuit courts.
Summary judgment is proper where the moving party
demonstrates that there are no genuine issues of
material fact and it is entitled to a judgment as a
matter of law. In other words, summary judgment is
appropriate if the pleadings, depositions, answers to
interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with
the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine
issue of material fact and the moving party is
entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.
Iddings v. Mee-Lee, 82 Hawai#i 1, 5, 919 P.2d 263, 267 (1996);
see also Hawai#i Rules of Civil Procedure (HRCP) Rule 56(c)
(2000).16
16
HRCP Rule 56(c) provides, in relevant part:
The judgment sought shall be rendered forthwith if the
pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories,
and admissions on file, together with the affidavits,
if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any
material fact and that the moving party is entitled to
a judgment as a matter of law. A summary judgment,
interlocutory in character, may be rendered on the
issue of liability alone although there is a genuine
issue as to the amount of damages.
23
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
B. Statutory Interpretation
“Statutory interpretation is a question of law
reviewable de novo.” First Ins. Co. of Hawaii v. A&B Props., 126
Hawai#i 406, 414, 271 P.3d 1165, 1173 (2012) (quoting State v.
Wheeler, 121 Hawai#i 383, 390, 219 P.3d 1170, 1177 (2009)
(internal quotation marks omitted)).
Our construction of statutes is guided by the following
rules:
First the fundamental starting point for
statutory-interpretation is the language of the
statute itself. Second, where the statutory language
is plain and unambiguous, our sole duty is to give
effect to its plain and obvious meaning. Third,
implicit in the task of statutory construction is our
foremost obligation to ascertain and give effect to
the intention of the legislature, which is to be
obtained primarily from the language contained in the
statute itself. Fourth, when there is doubt,
doubleness of meaning, or indistinctiveness or
uncertainty of an expression used in a statute, an
ambiguity exists.
Id. (quotations and citations omitted).
In construing an ambiguous statute, “[t]he meaning of
the ambiguous words may be sought by examining the
context, with which the ambiguous words, phrases, and
sentences may be compared, in order to ascertain their
true meaning.” Moreover, the courts may resort to
extrinsic aids in determining legislative intent. One
avenue is the use of legislative history as an
interpretive tool.
Silva v. City & Cnty. of Honolulu, 115 Hawai#i 1, 6-7, 165 P.3d
247, 252-53 (2007) (citations omitted) (quoting Hawaii Home
Infusion Assocs. v. Befitel, 114 Hawai#i 87, 91, 157 P.3d 526,
530 (2007)).
24
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
IV. Discussion
The issues presented on appeal include whether the
circuit court erred in: (1) finding that the Garner Plaintiffs’
claims for hourly back wages were properly within the scope of
the case; (2) finding that Regulation 5203 was an HRS chapter 91
rule; (3) granting Plaintiffs summary judgment on their hourly
back wages contract claims; (4) either granting interest to the
substitute teachers in Garner on their hourly and per diem back
wages, or denying interest to the PTTs in Kawashima on their
hourly back wages.
For the following reasons, we conclude that Regulation
5203 is not an HRS chapter 91 rule, that it does not have the
force and effect of law, and that it was not incorporated into
Plaintiffs’ contracts. Thus, Plaintiffs are not entitled to
hourly back wages, and the circuit court erred in granting
Plaintiffs summary judgment on their hourly back wages contract
claims. In addition, we conclude that HRS § 103-10 is not
applicable here. Therefore, Plaintiffs are not entitled to
interest on their hourly and per diem back wages. Because we
decide this case on these grounds, we need not reach the issue of
whether the substitute teachers’ hourly wages were properly part
of the Garner case.
25
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
A. The Circuit Court Erred in Finding That Regulation 5203 Is
an HRS Chapter 91 Rule
The first issue that we must address is whether
Regulation 5203 is a rule under HRS chapter 91. If a regulation
or procedure is determined to be a rule under HRS chapter 91, the
state agency with the proper authority must follow the rulemaking
procedures under HRS § 91-3 (2012) in order to adopt, amend or
repeal the rule. Thus, if Regulation 5203 is in fact a rule,
then the DOE did not properly amend Regulation 5203 until 2012
when it adopted HAR chapter 8-66 in accordance with HRS chapter
91 processes, and the State would be liable for the PTTs’ hourly
back wages. However, if we determine Regulation 5203 is not a
rule, then Regulation 5203 would be an internal policy that the
DOE may amend at any time, and the State would not be liable for
any hourly back wages.
We conclude that Regulation 5203 is not a rule. HRS §
302A-1112 (1996) provides broad authority for the BOE to adopt
rules subject to HRS chapter 91:
Subject to chapter 91 the [BOE] may adopt rules for
the government of all teachers, educational officers,
and other personnel, and for the carrying out the
transaction of its business.
Under HRS § 91-1(4) (2012), a rule is defined as
follows:
“Rule” means each agency statement of general or
particular applicability and future effect that
implements, interprets, or prescribes law or policy,
26
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
or describes the organization, procedure, or practice
requirements of any agency. The term does not include
regulations concerning only the internal management of
an agency and not affecting private rights of or
procedures available to the public, nor does the term
include declaratory rulings issued pursuant to section
91-8, nor intra-agency memoranda.
Thus, the general definition of rule is a “statement of
general or particular applicability and future effect that
implements, interprets, or prescribes law or policy, or describes
the organization, procedure, or practice requirements of any
agency.” Green Party of Hawaii v. Nago, 138 Hawai#i 228, 237, 378
P.3d 944, 953 (2016). In Green Party, we concluded that the
Office of Election’s procedure to determine the number of
election ballots to be delivered to the precincts was a rule
because it “meets the generality element of HRS § 91–1(4) as it
is applied statewide for the ordering of ballots in every
precinct,” and would also “operate in the future.” Id. at 239-
40, 378 P.3d at 955-56; see also Nuuanu Valley Ass’n v. City &
Cty. of Honolulu, 119 Hawai#i 90, 99-100, 194 P.3d 531, 540-41
(2008) (determining that the Department of Planning and
Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu’s “policy of
refusing to publicly disclose . . . engineering reports prior to
their approval” was a rule because it “affect[ed] the procedures
available to the public” in that the files were “public records
and may be examined upon request”) (internal brackets and
quotation marks omitted) (citing HRS § 91-1(4))). Here,
27
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Regulation 5203 meets the generality requirement of HRS § 91–1(4)
because it applies statewide for all part-time teachers employed
by the DOE, and also operates in the future because it prescribes
prospective compensation for part-time teachers.
Nevertheless, although Regulation 5203 meets the
generality and future effect requirements of HRS § 91-1(4), it
falls within an exception to the general definition of a rule.
The exceptions to the general definition of rule include
“regulations that concern only the internal management of an
agency, and that do not affect private rights of or procedures
available to the public.” Green Party, 138 Hawai#i at 238, 378
P.3d at 954. When considering whether a regulation concerns
internal management, we consider “to whom the regulations are
directed. If the regulation is principally directed to its
staff, then it is generally considered to be a matter of internal
management.” Id. (citations omitted). We stated that this
approach is consistent with the legislative history of HRS § 91-
1(4):
It is intended by this definition of “rule” that
regulations and policy prescribed and used by an
agency principally directed to its staff and its
operations are excluded from the definition. In this
connection your Committee considers matters relating
to the operation and management of state and county
penal, correctional, welfare, educational, public
health and mental health institutions, operation of
the National Guard, the custodial management of the
property of the state or county or of any agency
primarily a matter of “internal management” as used in
this definition.
28
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Id. (quoting H. Stand. Comm. Report No. 8, in 1961 House Journal,
at 656).
However, even if it is “determined that a regulation
concerns only internal management of an agency, the exception
will apply only if it is also determined that the regulation does
not affect private rights or procedures available to the public.”
Id. at 238–39, 378 P.3d at 954–55 (stating that the exception was
“intended to have a ‘limited scope’ because it only applies if it
both relates to internal management of the agency and it does not
affect private rights or public procedures”).
This court has analyzed the applicability of the
internal management exception several times. At issue in Green
Party was whether the Office of Election’s methodology and
procedures in the 2012 election used to “(1) determine the number
of election ballots to be delivered to the precincts, (2) request
additional ballots when a precinct runs out of paper ballots, and
(3) count the votes cast on a ballot for a precinct in which the
voter is not entitled to vote,” constituted rules. 138 Hawai#i at
230, 378 P.3d at 946. This court concluded that the Office of
Election’s methodology used to determine the number of election
ballots to be delivered to the precincts was a “rule.” Id. at
241, 378 P.3d at 957. We reasoned that the ballot order method
“meets the generality element of HRS § 91–1(4) as it is applied
29
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
statewide for the ordering of ballots in every precinct,” and
also would “operate in the future.” Id. at 239-40, 378 P.3d at
955-56. Regarding the exception, this court reasoned that,
“because ballot shortages may result in the deprivation of the
right to vote, the ballot order methodology does not qualify for
the internal management exception to the definition of a ‘rule.’”
Id. at 240, 378 P.3d at 956.
This court also concluded that the procedure for
counting votes cast on a ballot for an incorrect precinct
constituted a rule. Id. at 243, 378 P.3d at 959. With respect
to the internal management exception and the private rights of
the public, this court reasoned that:
[e]ven assuming that the procedure only concerned
internal management of the agency, the method used by
the Office of Elections would have a direct impact on
the right to vote, including the private right of
voters to have their votes counted. Such a policy
would not only affect the private right to vote, but
it could also impact the outcome of an election or
require a new election.
Id.
In Aguiar v. Hawaii Housing Authority, 55 Haw. 478, 522
P.2d 1255 (1974), this court determined that the Hawai#i Housing
Authority’s (HHA) internal regulations, which set forth maximum
income limits for continued occupancy by tenants in public
housing and established a payment schedule, were rules. Id. at
489-90, 522 P.2d at 1262-63. This court stated that the HHA’s
30
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
amendment to its internal regulations “altered fundamentally the
rental structure in public housing-its immediate result was to
change the amount of rent paid by nearly every public housing
tenant.” Id. at 489, 522 P.2d at 1262. This court further
stated that the amendments “setting maximum income limits for
continued occupancy . . . determined every tenant’s eligibility
to remain in public housing.” Id. This court reasoned that
these amendments plainly “‘affected’ in both a practical and a
legal sense the ‘private rights’ not only of those tenants
actually living in public housing but also those members of the
public at large who were interested in becoming tenants.” Id.;
see also Aluli v. Lewin, 73 Haw. 56, 57, 59, 828 P.2d 802, 803-04
(1992) (finding that the State Department of Health’s issuance of
an “air pollution permit authorizing the construction and
operation of [geothermal] wells” which would emit hydrogen
sulfide was not in accordance with rulemaking, and that “[a]ir
quality is an integral part of the quality of life and the public
should have input in these matters”); Burk v. Sunn, 68 Haw. 80,
93, 705 P.2d 17, 27 (1985) (holding that the Department of Social
Services and Housing’s policy with respect to prorating benefits
under a food stamp program was a rule because it had a “direct
impact on the rights of Food Stamp recipients”).
In contrast, this court has held that bylaws or
31
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
instructional procedures that do not affect “private rights of or
procedures available to the public” are not rules. See Rose v.
Oba, 68 Haw. 422, 427, 717 P.2d 1029, 1032 (1986). In Rose, a
doctor contended that his privileges to practice medicine at the
Hilo Hospital were “revoked pursuant to invalid procedures.” Id.
at 424, 717 P.2d 1030. The doctor argued that the “rules and
regulations pursuant to which his privileges were revoked were
not promulgated in accordance with the rule-making procedures
. . . as enacted in [HRS] Chapter 91.” Id. at 423, 717 P.2d
1030. This court held that the regulations were not rules under
HRS chapter 91 and that the:
provisions for corrective action in the Hilo Hospital
Bylaws do not affect private rights of or procedures
available to the public. At best, they only
indirectly affect the private rights of the public to
the extent the public has an interest in
qualifications of doctors practicing in public
hospitals, and to the extent a patient’s choice of
hospitals is reduced when his doctor’s privileges at a
particular hospital are revoked.
Id. at 427, 717 P.2d at 1032.
In Doe v. Chang, 58 Haw. 94, 564 P.2d 1271 (1977), this
court considered whether a manual of instructions for Department
of Social Services and Housing personnel concerning welfare fraud
investigations was subject to HRS Chapter 91 rulemaking
requirements. Id. at 95, 564 P.2d at 1272-73. This court held
that the manual of instructions concerned “only its internal
management” and did not “affect[] private rights of or procedures
32
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
available to the public.” Id. at 96, 564 P.2d at 1273. This
court reasoned:
The only persons purporting to be instructed or
ordered thereby are the personnel of the department.
The manual does not define the circumstances under
which welfare recipients, or others not members of the
department personnel, shall be granted of [sic] denied
benefits. It does not command the public to do
anything, prohibit the public from doing anything or
declare the rights of the public in any respect. It
does not make any procedures available to the public.
We find it difficult to hypothesize a stronger example
of the internal regulation contemplated by HRS [§]
91-1(4).
Id.
Additionally, in In re Doe, 9 Haw. App. 406, 844 P.2d
679 (1992), the ICA considered whether the field sobriety testing
procedures established by the Hawai#i County Police Department
[HCPD] were a rule. Id. at 412, 844 P.2d at 682-83. The ICA
reasoned that, like Chang, the procedures were:
instructional in nature directed only to HCPD police
officers. The procedures instructed the officers how
to administer field sobriety tests to drivers
reasonably believed to have been [driving under the
influence], after they were properly stopped and
ordered out of their cars. Also, although field
sobriety tests intrude on drivers’ rights . . . HCPD’s
field sobriety testing procedures are aimed at
assuring the proper and correct methods of
administering the tests to drivers.
Id. at 412, 844 P.2d at 682; see also Ah Ho v. Cobb, 62 Haw. 546,
552, 617 P.2d 1208, 1212 (1980) (finding that an agreement to
rent excess space in a water transportation system was not a rule
because “it concerns only the internal management of the [State
Board of Land and Natural Resources] and does not affect the
33
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
private rights of or procedures available to the public”); Crosby
v. State Dep’t of Budget & Fin., 76 Hawai#i 332, 345, 876 P.2d
1300, 1313 (1994) (affirming the circuit court’s conclusion that
a guideline by the State of Hawai#i Department of Accounting and
General Services (DAGS) to the other departments in the State as
to how DAGS interprets a statute was not a rule, reasoning that
the guideline was “sent only to other state agencies and does not
command or prohibit any action by any member of the public or any
public employee”); State v. Claunch, 111 Hawai#i 59, 67, 137 P.3d
373, 381 (App. 2006) (finding that the “police department’s
regulation establishing and implementing an intoxication control
roadblock program concerned only internal management of the
department and was therefore not required to be promulgated
pursuant to HRS Chapter 91”); State v. Tengan, 67 Haw. 451, 462,
691 P.2d 365, 373 (1984) (finding that the Director of
Transportation’s “approval of the use of the Intoxilyzer” was not
rule making because the Director set “no policy and exercised no
discretion with respect to the use of testing instruments; he
merely coordinated State and federal efforts to maintain accuracy
in chemical testing for blood alcohol”); Pilaa 400, LLC v. Bd. of
Land & Nat. Res., 132 Hawai#i 247, 265, 320 P.3d 912, 930 (2014)
(finding that there is “no statutory requirement to enact rules
regarding the valuation of damage to reef or valuable marine
34
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
resources”).
Here, the instant case is akin to Rose, Chang, and In
re Doe, which involved regulations that focused on internal
management of an agency and did not affect the private rights of
members of the public. Regulation 5203, like the regulations and
policies in those aforementioned cases, falls squarely within the
exception. Regulation 5203 affects only the DOE’s internal
management of its part-time teachers’ hourly pay rate. Moreover,
Regulation 5203 does not command members of the public to do
anything or prohibit them from doing anything, nor does it
declare the rights of members of the public or affect a procedure
available to members of the public. Rather, Regulation 5203 at
best only indirectly affects private rights of members of the
public to the extent that the public has an interest in knowing
how teachers’ salaries are determined. This interest, however,
is not sufficient to remove Regulation 5203 from the exception
here.
The instant case is distinguishable from Green Party
and Aguiar. In those cases, the regulations affected the private
rights of members of the public and implemented law or policy,
and thus were found to be rules. For example, in Green Party,
the voting policies had a direct impact on the private right to
vote and the general public’s right to have their vote counted in
35
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
an election. Green Party, 138 Hawai#i at 243, 378 P.3d at 959.
Additionally, in Aguiar, the HHA’s regulations fundamentally
altered the rental structure in public housing, which immediately
changed the amount of rent for almost all public housing tenants
and affected every tenant’s eligibility to remain in public
housing. Aguiar, 55 Haw. at 489, 522 P.2d at 1262. Here,
Regulation 5203 does not affect any private rights of the public
or any procedures available to the public, and does not prescribe
or implement law or policy. Instead, Regulation 5203 affects
only the internal management of a DOE part-time teachers’ pay
rate.
In sum, Regulation 5203 is not a rule under HRS chapter
91, and thus was not required to be amended under HRS chapter
91’s rulemaking procedures. Therefore, the circuit court erred
in finding that Regulation 5203 was a rule under HRS chapter 91.
B. The Circuit Court Erred in Granting Summary Judgment in
Favor of Plaintiffs for Their Hourly Back Wages Contract
Claims
The State argues that because Regulation 5203 is not a
rule, the Superintendent and the Board properly changed
Regulation 5203, and the State is not liable for any alleged
amounts owed after the change. The State also argues that
Regulation 5203 does not have the “force and effect of law and
cannot be incorporated into the contract or substituted for the
36
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
actual agreement of the parties.” Garner and Kawashima
Plaintiffs argue that the State cannot enter into or enforce
contracts that are contrary to law, that it must pay its
employees lawfully prescribed rates of pay, and that this issue
was resolved in Garner I.
In Garner I, the ICA found that the substitute teachers
were entitled to their per diem back wages because as part of the
parties’ agreement, the teachers’ rate of pay was “subject to
applicable State laws,” and the parties “could not contract to
violate a law determining the rate of pay.” Garner I, 122
Hawai#i at 170, 223 P.3d at 235 (citations omitted). If we
accept arguendo Garner I’s threshold premise as true--that state
law is incorporated into contracts–-and if we determine that
Regulation 5203 has the force and effect of law, then Regulation
5203 would be incorporated into the part-time teachers’
contracts, and the State would be obligated to compensate the
PTTs for hourly back wages. Here, the part-time teachers’
argument is one step removed from the premise of Garner I because
the PTTs’ hourly pay rate is based on Regulation 5203, which
links their compensation to the substitute teachers’ pay rate
prescribed by state law. In contrast, in Garner I, the
substitute teachers’ pay rate is directly prescribed by statute
under HRS § 302A-624(e).
37
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
We conclude that Regulation 5203 does not have the
force and effect of law, and that it is merely an internal policy
that may be amended at any time. Thus, Regulation 5203 is not
incorporated into the part-time teachers’ contracts, Plaintiffs
are not entitled to hourly back wages, and the circuit court
erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Plaintiffs for
their hourly back wages contract claims.
HRS § 89C-1 (Supp. 2000), grants “appropriate
authorities the necessary flexibility” to “adjust the wages,
hours, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment for
their respective excluded public officers and employees.” HRS
§ 89C-1.5 (Supp. 2000) defines “appropriate authority” to include
the BOE. Further, HRS § 89C-4 (Supp. 2000) sets forth guidelines
for the BOE to adjust compensation for excluded employees exempt
from civil service: “Each appropriate authority shall determine
the adjustments that are relevant for their respective excluded
employees who are exempt from civil service in consideration of
the compensation and benefit packages provided for other
employees in comparable agencies.”17 Thus, HRS chapter 89C
17
At oral argument before this court, Plaintiffs argued that the
State stipulated to a violation of HRS chapter 89C in the Kliternick
stipulated order and amended judgment resolving all claims. Plaintiffs argued
that their second claim for relief in Kliternick was a violation of HRS
chapter 89C, and because the State stipulated on a “free-standing basis for
all the damages,” this was a stipulation to a violation of HRS chapter 89C.
However, the State did not explicitly stipulate to a violation of HRS chapter
(continued...)
38
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
clearly provides statutory authority for the BOE to adjust the
wages of excluded employees, such as the part-time teachers here,
in order to reflect the compensation rates of other comparable
agencies. However, while HRS chapter 89C provides the BOE
authority and flexibility to adjust and amend the PTTs’ pay rate,
it does not confer the force and effect of law onto the School
Code Regulations.
Additionally, HRS § 302A-1112 provides broad authority
for the BOE to adopt rules subject to HRS chapter 91 for the
“government of all teachers” and for the “carrying out of the
transaction of its business.” Similar to HRS chapter 89C, while
HRS § 302A-1112 provides the authority for the BOE authority to
adopt HRS chapter 91 rules, it does not establish a process
separate from HRS chapter 91 that would give Regulation 5203 the
force and effect of law.
Further, HAR chapter 8-3 (2012) (Rules Applicable to
Rulemaking Proceedings) does not provide authority to support the
contention that Regulation 5203 has the force and effect of law.
HAR chapter 8-3 applies to HRS chapter 91 rules and sets forth
similar procedures to HRS chapter 91 that the BOE must follow
17
(...continued)
89C in either the Kliternick stipulated order or amended judgment. Moreover,
even if the State stipulated to a violation of HRS chapter 89C, HRS chapter
89C does not support Plaintiffs’ contention that Regulation 5203 has the force
and effect of law.
39
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
when adopting and amending HRS chapter 91 rules. Thus, HAR
chapter 8-3 does not set forth a separate and distinct rulemaking
process apart from HRS chapter 91, but instead, aligns the BOE’s
procedures with HRS chapter 91.
In conclusion, Regulation 5203 does not have the force
and effect of law. Rather, Regulation 5203 is an internal policy
within the School Code that may be amended at any time. While
this court does not condone underpaying DOE teachers in violation
of DOE policy, here, the applicable law does not provide a basis
for the teachers’ entitlement to hourly back wages. Thus,
Regulation 5203 was not incorporated into the PTTs’ contracts,
and the circuit court erred in granting summary judgment in favor
of Plaintiffs for their hourly back wages contract claims.
C. Plaintiffs Are Not Entitled to Interest Under HRS § 103-10
The State argues that the ICA has already ruled in
Garner I that the teachers are not entitled to prejudgment
interest, and that Plaintiffs cannot “ignore the law of the case”
and “try again on another theory” and a “different statute on
remand.” The State also argues that because Plaintiffs prevailed
only on the theory that there was an express contract between the
teachers and the DOE, the only waiver of sovereign immunity as to
that claim is under HRS chapter 661, and that the teachers are
attempting to circumvent HRS § 661-8 by referring to HRS § 103-
40
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
10. The State argues that HRS § 661-8 provides that no pre-
judgment interest is allowed except in certain instances, which
are not present here, and that any doubt must be resolved in
favor of the State. Further, the State argues that HRS § 103-10
does not apply because it should be applied only to contractors
in “complex, high value claims” covered by the Procurement Code.
Kawashima Plaintiffs argue that HRS § 661-8 does not
preclude the right to interest because HRS § 103-10 is an
“immunity-waiving, money-mandating statute” that confers a right
to interest which “cannot be nullified because litigation ensues
after an agency fails to pay.” Kawashima Plaintiffs also argue
that HRS § 103-10 applies broadly to anyone who provides services
to the State under a contract, and that the complexity of the
claim does not have a role in the application of the statute.
The Garner circuit court found that the substitute
teachers were entitled to interest on their per diem and hourly
back wages under HRS § 103-10, reasoning that the contract
between the parties incorporated applicable state law, including
HRS § 103-10, and thus HRS § 103-10 “constitutes a contract
expressly stipulating for the payment of interest as required
under [HRS] 661-8.”
In contrast, the Kawashima circuit court found that the
PTTs were not entitled to interest on their hourly back wages
41
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
under HRS § 103-10, agreeing with the State’s contentions that
sovereign immunity under HRS § 661-8 applied, and that immunity
is waived only if the contract “calls for prejudgment interest.”
The Kawashima circuit court further determined that HRS § 103-10
did not apply here, and that the purpose and intent of HRS § 103-
10 was to “address goods and services being provided by
independent contractors, small business people,” and “maybe
persons in general” that are “not considered a contractor but
[are] providing a service or goods to the State.”
We begin our analysis by addressing the threshold
question of whether the ICA’s holding in Garner I precludes the
award of interest on another theory here. We conclude that it
does not. The State’s reliance on Taylor-Rice v. State, 105
Hawai#i 104, 94 P.3d 659 (2004) to support its contention the ICA
has already ruled that the teachers are not entitled to interest
is misplaced. In the underlying case, defendant Leigh and
defendant-appellee, State of Hawai#i, were found to be “joint
tortfeasors in an action arising from a single-car accident.”
Id. at 106, 94 P.3d at 661. In its judgment, the circuit court
found that “(1) the defendants were jointly and severally liable
for damages, costs, and post-judgment interest and (2) Leigh was
solely liable for pre-judgment interest.” Id. This court
determined that the plaintiffs did not “argue that the circuit
42
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
court erred in failing to hold the State liable for pre-judgment
interest.” Id. Therefore, this court determined that “because
the plaintiffs did not challenge the circuit court’s failure to
hold the State liable for pre-judgment interest, the plaintiffs
‘must be held to acquiesce in’ the judgment and are precluded
from now challenging it.” Id.
Here, the issue of whether the teachers are entitled to
interest under HRS § 103-10 has not been foreclosed by the ICA’s
Garner I decision, which was an interlocutory appeal. While the
ICA ruled in Garner I that the substitute teachers were not
entitled to prejudgment interest under HRS §§ 661-8 and 478-2, it
did not make a determination regarding whether the substitute
teachers were entitled to interest on their back wages under HRS
§ 103-10. Contrary to the argument of the State, that ruling is
not the “law of the case” with regard to a completely distinct
theory that was not raised or addressed in that interlocutory
appeal.
Turning to the merits, HRS chapter 661, which is
entitled “Actions By And Against the State,” provides:
No interest shall be allowed on any claim up to the
time of the rendition of judgment thereon by the
court, unless upon a contract expressly stipulating
for the payment of interest, or upon a refund of a
payment into the “litigated claims fund” as provided
by law.
HRS § 661-8.
43
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Here, the record does not support the conclusion that
the teachers’ contracts expressly stipulated for the payment of
interest. The teachers’ contracts at issue, which consist of an
“Application for Part-Time Temporary Teacher Position (Form 150)”
and a “Payroll Understanding” form, do not expressly state that
the teachers will be entitled to the payment of interest.
However, Kawashima Plaintiffs further argue that HRS §
661-8 does not preclude an award of interest because HRS § 103-10
is an “immunity-waiving, money-mandating statute.” This court
has stated that statutory waivers of sovereign immunity will be
strictly construed and that “a waiver of sovereign immunity must
be unequivocally expressed in statutory text, and legislative
history cannot supply a waiver that does not appear clearly in
any statutory text,” nor can sovereign immunity be waived based
on policy arguments. Taylor-Rice, 105 Hawai#i at 110, 112, 94
P.3d at 663, 667. Therefore, any ambiguity as to whether HRS
§ 103-10 expressly waives sovereign immunity regarding payment of
interest should be construed in favor of the State.
As set forth below, the plain language of HRS § 103-10
is ambiguous as to whether it applies in the instant case.
Accordingly, we refer to the Findings and Purpose section of Act
292 (which was codified as HRS § 103-10), and HRS § 103-10’s
legislative history, in order to resolve that ambiguity, and
44
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
conclude that HRS § 103-10 does not apply here.
HRS § 103-10 (Payment for goods and services) provides
in pertinent part:
(a) Any person who renders a proper statement for
goods delivered or services performed, pursuant to
contract, to any agency of the State or any county,
shall be paid no later than thirty calendar days
following receipt of the statement or satisfactory
delivery of the goods or performance of the services.
In the event circumstances prevent the paying agency
from complying with this section, the person shall be
entitled to interest from the paying agency . . . .
(b) This section shall not apply in those cases
where delay in payment is due to:
(1) A bona fide dispute between the State or
any county and the contractor concerning the services
or goods contracted for;
(2) A labor dispute;
(3) A power or mechanical failure;
(4) Fire;
(5) Acts of God; or
(6) Any similar circumstances beyond the
control of the State or any county.
Plaintiffs argue that HRS § 103-10 broadly applies to
“any person,” and that the term “contractor” includes the
teachers because the plain language definition of “contractor” is
“anyone who provides services under a contract.” Further, they
suggest that the definition of “contractor” in HRS § 103D-104 (a
“[c]ontractor means any person having a contract with a
government body”), supports their argument that HRS § 103-10
applies to the teachers in the instant case.
However, other provisions in the relevant statutes
suggest that HRS § 103-10 does not encompass claims for wages
brought by State employees, such as those at issue here.
45
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Relevant to our interpretation of HRS § 103-10, HRS §103-1.5
(1993) (Definitions) provides that: “The definitions of chapter
103D [(Hawaii Public Procurement Code)] shall apply to [HRS]
chapter [103] unless the context clearly requires otherwise.”
Under HRS § 103D-104 (1993) (Definitions), “contract” means “all
types of agreements, regardless of what they may be called, for
the procurement or disposal of goods or services, or for
construction.” Also pursuant to HRS § 103D-104, “procurement”
means:
buying, purchasing, renting, leasing, or otherwise
acquiring any good, service, or construction. The
term also includes all functions that pertain to the
obtaining of any good, service, or construction,
including description of requirements, selection and
solicitation of sources, preparation and award of
contracts, and all phases of contract administration.
Thus, the plain language of HRS § 103-10 and the
applicable definitions under HRS § 103D-104 indicate that the
type of contract referred to in HRS § 103-10 includes “agreements
. . . for the procurement or disposal of goods or services, or
for construction.” Applying those provisions here, it appears
that the teachers’ contracts are not agreements for the
procurement of goods or services as provided for in HRS § 103D-
104 and the Procurement Code. The teachers are not selling goods
or services, but rather are being compensated as employees in
accordance with their contracts with the State. Under this
interpretation, the teachers’ contracts would not be the type of
46
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
contracts governed by HRS § 103-10.
Due to the ambiguity in the plain language of HRS
§ 103-10 and these related provisions, we turn to the Findings
and Purpose section of Act 292, which was later codified as HRS
§ 103-10, for guidance. See Poe v. Haw. Labor Relations Bd., 97
Hawai#i 528, 540, 40 P.3d 930, 942 (2002) (determining that
statements of findings and policy may be used to clarify
ambiguities as a “guide for determining legislative intent and
purpose”). The Findings and Purpose section supports the
conclusion that HRS § 103-10 does not apply to the teachers in
the instant case. The section reads as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings and Purpose. The legislature
finds that a substantial number of contractors selling
goods and services to the state and county governments
must frequently wait 90 to 120 or more days to receive
payment. The purpose of this Act is to require prompt
payment on government contracts.
1967 Haw. Sess. Laws Act 292, § 1 at 464.
Thus, the Findings and Purpose section of Act 292
indicates that the legislature intended HRS § 103-10 to be
applied to “contractors selling goods and services.” (Emphasis
added.) Plaintiffs are not “contractors” who are selling “goods
and services,” but rather are employees of the State. If the
legislature intended HRS § 103-10 to apply to any government
employee, such as the teachers in the instant case, the
legislature could have explicitly stated that in the plain
47
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
language of HRS § 103-10. However, the legislature did not
provide any statutory language that explicitly makes HRS § 103-10
applicable to the type of contracts in this case.
Further, the legislative history also supports the
interpretation that HRS § 103-10 was not intended to be applied
to the teachers’ contracts at issue in the instant case. With
respect to HRS § 103-10, the Senate’s Federal-State-County
Relations and Government Efficiency Committee stated that:
The purpose of this bill is to require reasonably
prompt payments by the state to contractors for goods
delivered or services rendered and to require the
payment of interest at the rate of one-half of one
percent per month on balances unpaid within a
prescribed period.
Under present conditions, many [businesspersons]
providing goods and services to State agencies have
had to wait between 90 to 120 days after presentation
of invoices before receiving payment.
S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 663, in 1967 Senate Journal, at 1152.
The teachers here are not “businesspersons” who provide
goods and services to State agencies. Instead, the teachers are
government employees who are working pursuant to employment
contracts with the State.
In sum, both the Findings and Purpose section in Act
292 and the relevant legislative history support the conclusion
that HRS § 103-10 does not apply to Plaintiffs’ claims here.
Moreover, as noted above, any ambiguity concerning a waiver of
sovereign immunity should be construed in favor of the State.
48
*** FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAI#I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ***
Accordingly, Plaintiffs are not entitled to interest on their
back wages.
V. Conclusion
In sum, the circuit court in both Kawashima and Garner
erred in: (1) determining that Regulation 5203 is an HRS chapter
91 rule, and (2) granting summary judgment in favor of Plaintiffs
for their hourly back wages contract claims. In Garner, the
circuit court further erred by finding that Plaintiffs were
entitled to interest on their per diem and hourly back wages
under HRS § 103-10.
For the foregoing reasons, the circuit court’s May 19,
2015 judgment in Garner is reversed and remanded for entry of
judgment in favor of the State. Additionally, circuit court’s
May 18, 2015 judgment in Kawashima is affirmed in part to the
extent that the circuit court determined that Plaintiffs are not
entitled to interest under HRS § 103-10, and reversed on all
other remaining grounds and remanded for entry of judgment in
favor of the State.
William J. Wynhoff /s/ Mark E. Recktenwald
and David D. Day
for appellants /s/ Paula A. Nakayama
Paul Alston and /s/ Michael D. Wilson
Eric G. Ferrer
for appellees /s/ Virginia L. Crandall
/s/ Gary W. B. Chang
49