STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1201

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 813

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 813, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to designate an unspecified month as "Language Access Month" to promote awareness of language access for government services and emphasize the importance of and need for language access in Hawaii's diverse society.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Office of Language Access, the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, the Congress of Visayan Organizations, the United Filipino Council of Hawaii, the Filipino American Citizens League, the Filipino Coalition for Solidarity, Filipinos for Affirmative Action, Nursing Advocates and Mentors, Inc., Oahu Filipino Community Council, Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center, Hawaii Interpreter Action Network, and one individual.  Written testimony presented to your Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii ranks fourth in the nation for largest foreign born population, with 17.9 per cent, and is at the forefront of language access issues.  In 2006, the Legislature adopted Act 290 to ensure equal access to state programs, services, and activities for persons with limited English proficiency.  The Act requires state agencies to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful language services either through the oral language services of an interpreter or written language services using translated documents. 

     The celebration of Language Access Month will serve to foster and promote these language access activities in Hawaii and inform the public of their existence, so that language access will be viewed as a vital component of the State's provision of basic government services.  Language Access Month is a celebration of Hawaii's diversity.  September is a month when the community's focus and awareness returns to education, as the new school year begins.  Language Access Month can be celebrated along with other international days like September 21, the United Nations International Day of Peace.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Designating the month of September as "Language Access Month";

     (2)  Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of style and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 813, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 813, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair