STAND. COM. REP. 20
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2003
RE: H.B. No. 411
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2003
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 411 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION BY PUBLIC ENTITIES AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities have access to state and county government services, programs, and activities, including those provided on behalf of the State or counties by private entities under State or county contracts or grants.
The State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Aloha State Association of the Deaf, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Disability and Communication Access Board supported the intent of this measure.
Your Committee finds that individuals with disabilities sometimes are unable to participate in certain county and county-funded services provided by private entities because of their disability. However, the State and state-funded service providers are already prohibited from disability discrimination. Your Committee believes that this measure will strengthen the rights of the disabled to participate in public-funded services and activities.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Deleting an unnecessary provision that is inconsistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.
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 H.B. No. 411, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 411, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
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