STAND. COM. REP. NO. 134

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1130

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1130 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require that all letterheads, documents, symbols, and emblems of the State and other political subdivision include both state languages – English and Hawaiian – and to establish references for accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and words, spelling, and punctuation.  The intent of this measure is to ensure the preservation of the Hawaiian language and culture.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Senator representing the 6th Senatorial District, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and two individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that ten years ago, the federal government enacted the Hawaiian National Park Language Correction Act of 2000, which changed the names of several Hawai‘i national parks to observe the correct Hawaiian spelling.  Before the banning of the Hawaiian language from schools and government in 1898, it was common to see documents written in Hawaiian.  Given that English and Hawaiian are the official languages of the State of Hawai‘i, it is only fitting to include the Hawaiian language in official government documents.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1130 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

BRICKWOOD GALUTERIA, Chair