STAND. COM. REP. NO. 776

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 895

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 895, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure the constitutionally mandated preservation of the Hawaiian language and culture by requiring all newly created, replaced, or reprinted state and county documents, letterheads, symbols, and emblems to contain accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and language.   

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and one individual.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii State Constitution provides for the preservation and promotion of native Hawaiian culture, history, and language. The Hawaiian language is also established in statute as one of the official languages of the State.  Your Committee further finds that one way to preserve and promote native Hawaiian culture, history, and language is by requiring state and county documents, letterheads, symbols, and emblems to contain accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and language.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 895, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair