STAND. COM. REP. NO 422

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1248

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 1248 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand the scope of the Hawaiian language revolving fund at the University of Hawaii at Hilo to allow funds generated by the College of Hawaiian Language, Hawaiian Language Support Center, and the indigenous outreach program to be deposited and used at the discretion of the College of Hawaiian Language.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Kulanui O Hawaii Ma Hilo, Aha Punana Leo, and four individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the University of Hawaii System.

     Your Committees find that allowing funds from various sources to be deposited in the Hawaiian language revolving fund will allow the College of Hawaiian Language the opportunity to utilize the single source of funds to support its mission.  Of note, projects such as the publication of educational materials for the Hawaiian language program will be made easier.  Your Committees note the concerns raised by the University of Hawaii System over allowing fees from services to be deposited into the revolving fund.  However, in moving this measure forward for consideration by your Committee on Ways and Means, your Committees have encouraged the University of Hawaii at Hilo and the College of Hawaiian Language to work together to develop proposed language that would be acceptable to the stakeholders.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing "sale of all products" with "sale of language-related materials" as those terms pertain to income generating activities;

     (2)  Deleting the language that specified monies deposited into the revolving fund shall be expended at the discretion of the Hawaiian language college;

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1248, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1248, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education and the Arts,

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair