STAND. COM. REP. NO.954
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2001
RE: S.B. No. 1122
S.D. 1
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2001
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1122, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to:
(1) Allow the Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB)to assess applicant fees for sign language interpreter credentialing; and
(2) Establish a special fund to enable DCAB to retain these fees to offset the cost of the credentialing and screening process.
DCAB and the Department of Human Services submitted testimony in support of this measure. DCAB requested an amendment.
Your Committee finds that sign language interpreters play an important role in access to public functions and forums for the hearing impaired. A credentialing test for sign language interpreters is an effective solution to combat the shortage of nationally certified sign language interpreters in Hawaii.
Your Committee has amended this measure according to DCAB's recommendations by:
(1) Deleting a provision that would have required all appropriations for DCAB to be placed into the special fund; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1122, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1122, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |