STAND. COM. REP. NO. 952

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1052

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1052, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to fulfill the state constitutional mandate to preserve the Hawaiian language.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Requires, rather than authorizes, the accurate use of Hawaiian names and language on new letterhead of state and county documents; and

     (2)  Establishes the Hawaiian language interim task force to develop an implementation plan and identify a Hawaiian language authority to be consulted by government agencies in complying with this Act.

     No written comments were submitted on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that the Constitution of the State of Hawaii mandates the preservation and promotion of the Hawaiian language, one of the two official languages of the State.  This measure recognizes that proper respect should be accorded to the language of the indigenous culture by promoting its use and mandating accuracy.

     Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Bishop Museum selects task force members to be appointed by the governor from a list of nominees received from each organization, the governor selects two native speaker members from nominees submitted by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and all nine members are appointed by the Governor;

     (2)  Changing the deadline for task force appointments and initial meeting to August 1, 2007;

     (3)  Providing that the Hawaiian language interim task force shall terminate on July 1, 2008;

     (4)  Changing the amount appropriated to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion on the measure;

     (5)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2007; and

     (6)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose 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. 1052, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1052, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair