The Committee on International Legal Affairs on Monday heard a line of in-person testimonies urging support for Resolution 25‑313, a measure signaling the council’s backing for city bus operators, mechanics and support staff as contract talks continue. After hearing testimony, the committee chair recommended deferring action until next month to give labor and management flexibility to reach an agreement without disrupting service, and a roll-call vote approved the postponement.

The hearing opened with procedural instructions under HRS 92‑3.7 governing remote meetings and public testimony. Multiple in-person speakers identified themselves and voiced support for the resolution. "My name is Jonathan Mokue, and I, fully support this bill. Mahalo," one testifier said. A longer speaker who identified themselves as speaking on behalf of the Teamsters urged the council to seek "fairness, dignity, and respect" and asked for livable wages so workers would not leave the islands. That speaker also said the union experienced a seven‑year contract period and alleged the Department of Transportation Services (OTS) did not allocate budget for workers during negotiations, calling that omission "very disturbing."

The chair read a prepared statement saying the council respects collective-bargaining processes and has limited formal roles in active negotiations, but also described bus service workers as "essential to the daily functioning of our city" and said the council’s history of supporting union labor informed the decision to consider a policy position. The chair recommended postponing a formal action on the resolution "till next month to allow both parties the time and flexibility to move closer to an equitable agreement that avoids disruption to workers, [riders], and the city as a whole." The committee accepted that recommendation by roll call. Recorded votes in the transcript were: Member Cordero—Aye; Member Dos Santos Tam—excused; Member Kiana—Aye; Member Okimoto—Aye; Vice Chair Tupelo—Aye; Member Weier—No; chair recorded an Aye vote.

Several council members expressed support for the intent of the measure while cautioning about the council’s legal role in collective bargaining. Member Okimoto said the matter "gets out of our jurisdiction" and worried about setting a precedent for future councils; Member Weier thanked testifiers and said the council should "lead by example" on pay and parity. Member Kiaanu urged OTS leadership to resolve the negotiations quickly so the council would not have to act.

The committee’s postponement means the resolution remains on the committee calendar and could return for consideration at the next meeting if negotiations do not resolve beforehand. The record does not specify any changes to Resolution 25‑313 text or any motions to amend it during this session.