Report Title:

Human Services; Interpreter Referral Service

Description:

Appropriates funds for a statewide interpreter referral service for public and private agencies and for persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf‑blind.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	426
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to Human Services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     Section 1.  The legislature finds that there are approximately six thousand deaf people statewide who use American Sign Language as their preferred method of communication.  Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires state government to provide effective communication for persons with difficulty communicating, due to a disability, so they can access appropriate services.

     State agencies are often asked to provide a sign language interpreter in order to make public services accessible to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind individuals.  Since 1990, the number of requests for sign language interpreters has increased significantly and the provision of this service needs to be coordinated for both public and private agencies.

     In the early 1980s, the vocational rehabilitation and services for the blind division of the department of human services received an appropriation of $55,000 to provide interpreter referral services for a two-year period.  The funds were used to contract the services of a private agency to coordinate interpreter referral services for both public and private agencies statewide at no charge.  The appropriated funds eventually became part of the department of human services' biennium budget, and the amount has not increased since that time.

     Given only $27,500 per year to coordinate interpreter referral services, the department of human services limited the provision of services to state agencies only on July 1, 2001.  The contracted agency providing the services then had the option of charging an administrative fee to private agencies to coordinate their interpreter requests.  The administrative fees have provided additional funding for the contracted agency to continue to provide referral services to private agencies.

     The legislature further finds that additional funds are needed to maintain the current level of interpreter referral services provided to public and private agencies to achieve appropriate communication access for all citizens who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf-blind.  As the provision of statewide interpreter referral services develops and stabilizes, the expectation is that it can be expanded to also provide education and training on the use of interpreter services.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for the department of human services to develop and implement a statewide interpreter referral service for both public and private agencies and for persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf‑blind.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $82,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the sum of $27,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for the department of human services to develop and implement a statewide interpreter referral service for agencies and for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or blind, including:

     (1)  To establish and hire a coordinator position;

     (2)  To upgrade computer equipment, including the provision of website development software; and

     (3)  For operating expenses.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.