STAND. COM. REP. NO. 632

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 643

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 643, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all newly created, replaced, or reprinted state and county documents, letterheads, symbols, and emblems to contain accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and language beginning on January 1, 2018.

     In addition, this measure establishes references for accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and words, including proper Hawaiian spelling and punctuation.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from 'Aha Pūnana Leo, Kamehameha Schools, and five concerned citizens.

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from Ka Lāhui Hawai‘i Political Action Committee and one concerned citizen.

     Your Committee finds that Article XV, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution establishes English and Hawaiian as the official languages of the State of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that by requiring the accurate, appropriate, and authentic use of Hawaiian names and words that utilize proper Hawaiian spelling and punctuation, this measure serves as an important step toward ensuring the renormalization and proliferation of the Hawaiian language as an official language of the State.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to March 9, 2092, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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. 643, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 643, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair