STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3752

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NOS. 576, 577

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 576 and 577, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

Disability and Communication Access Board

G.M. No. 576	VIOLET HORVATH, for a term to expire 06-30-2022; and
G.M. No. 577	RONALD AWA, for a term to expire 06-30-2022,

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Violet Horvath and Ronald Awa for service on the Disability and Communication Access Board.

VIOLET HORVATH

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Violet Horvath from the Disability and Communication Access Board and three individuals.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Dr. Horvath's knowledge, background, and personal and professional experience qualify her to be nominated for appointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board as a member with a disability. Your Committee notes that Dr. Horvath is currently employed as the Director of the Pacific Disabilities Center of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. More than half of the staff at the Pacific Disabilities Center have disabilities, including Dr. Horvath, who has a mobility disability. Dr. Horvath has already worked with the Disability and Communication Access Board through the Pacific Disabilities Center with respect to the licensing and regulation of American Sign Language interpreters and the establishment of a Comprehensive Deaf Services Center. In her personal statement, Dr. Horvath indicates that she wants to bring her belief in universal design to the Board and improve access to all users by providing access to disabled users.

RONALD AWA

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Ronald Awa from the Disability and Communication Access Board and three individuals.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Awa's knowledge, background, and expertise qualify him to be nominated for appointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board as a member with knowledge of areas for which the Board has rulemaking authority. Specifically, Mr. Awa is currently employed as a licensed architect with Awa and Associates, and in this capacity he has helped create projects for both the public and private sector which are accessible for persons with disabilities. Mr. Awa has forty-seven years of experience in the architectural design profession, including the last thirty-two with Awa and Associates. Mr. Awa has previously served on the Disability and Communication Access Board and on a predecessor agency, the Architectural Access Committee, and has a thorough understanding of the role and responsibilities of a board member. Mr. Awa has also demonstrated his strong commitment to professional and community engagement, having served as the chair of several architectural review committees and as a member of Lions Club International, East Manoa Lions Club and the United Okinawan Association, Urasoe Shijin Kai.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair