STAND. COM. REP. NO. 967

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 979

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 979, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COURT INTERPRETERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a court interpreter certification program in the Judiciary to prescribe standards and procedures for certifying court interpreters.

Furthermore, this bill:

(1) Requires the use of a certified court interpreter in legal proceedings when a party or a witness is deemed to have a limited ability to understand and communicate in English;

(2) Appropriates funds for the 2005-2007 fiscal biennium to the Administrative Office of the Courts so it may establish and operate a statewide court interpreter orientation, testing, and certification program; and

(3) Takes effect on July 1, 2006.

Your Committee finds that certification of court interpreters will ensure the accuracy of statements attributed to parties and witnesses to a legal proceeding who communicate in a language other than English.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Adding section    -4(e) to clarify that failure of a court to make reasonable good faith efforts to obtain the services of a certified interpreter may be grounds for reversal;

(2) Clarifying that the appropriation shall take effect on July 1, 2005, rather than July 1, 2006; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 979, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 979, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair