HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	185
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE STATE'S FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET'S STATISTICAL POLICY DIRECTIVE NO. 15, ENTITLED "RACE AND ETHNIC STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL STATISTICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTING", AND THE PUBLICATION OF COLLECTED DATA SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS.

     WHEREAS, Asian Americans, native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders represent approximately 48.6 percent of the State's population; and

     WHEREAS, while Asian Americans, native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders are often misrepresented as a homogeneous group, they are an extremely diverse group, with ethnicities from over thirty different countries; and

     WHEREAS, Asian American, native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander communities in this State experience diverse social, educational, health, and economic differences that are unique to their respective communities; and

     WHEREAS, due to this diversity, the United States Office of Management and Budget's Statistical Policy Directive No. 15, entitled "Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting", separated the "Asian and Pacific Islander" category into two distinct and separate categories, now called "Asians" and "Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders"; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's state agencies do not keep demographic data in a standard or uniform manner that comports with these prevailing federal standards; and

     WHEREAS, most state agencies do not make collected demographic data accessible to the public so that regional and local governments, elected officials, decision makers, and other stakeholders can use the information to strategically target programs for those most in need; and

     WHEREAS, given the diversity of languages and cultures, separating data for Asian American, native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander ethnic groups and making the data publicly accessible are critical for enhancing understanding of the needs and experiences of these different communities; and

     WHEREAS, in particular, the State has unique trust responsibilities with respect to native Hawaiians, which are administered by a variety of state agencies, including but not limited to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and

     WHEREAS, the uniform collection and sharing of data specific to native Hawaiians is critical to the proper administration of the State's trust responsibilities and the betterment of the conditions of native Hawaiians through other similar initiatives; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the Senate concurring, that the Governor is requested to direct all state departments to comply fully with the United States Office of Management and Budget's Statistical Policy Directive No. 15, entitled "Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting"; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is requested to direct all state departments to make the collected data available to the public, subject to applicable state and federal laws; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Demographics Collection; Hawaiian; Asian American; Publication