STAND. COM. REP. NO.  415

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 109

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 109, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is ensure the preservation of the Hawaiian language by requiring that all newly created, replaced, or reprinted state and county documents, letterheads, symbols, and emblems that include Hawaiian words shall contain accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and words, and establishing references for accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and words.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General and one concerned individual provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Expanding the list of acceptable references for establishing accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and words, to include any accepted Hawaiian-language dictionary, including one that takes into account the unique spelling found in the Ni‘ihau dialect; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 109, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 109, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair