STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3262

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services, Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 1 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE OF HAWAI‘I TO REVIEW AND UPDATE ITS TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES AND ACCESS FOR THE DEAF, INDIVIDUALS WITH HEARING DISABILITIES, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH SPEECH DISABILITIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Request the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission and Disability and Communication Access Board, to review existing and emerging equipment, services, and policies to ensure continued accessibility and usability for individuals who are deaf or who have a hearing or speech disability; and

(2) Request a report to the Legislature with findings and recommendations based on the review.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board and one individual.

Your Committees find that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or have a speech disability often utilize technology and technology based services and equipment to effectively communicate with others. Your Committees further find that as internet-based technology devices continually improve and become more readily available, existing telecommunication equipment, services, and policies must also be evaluated and updated. This measure will allow the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission and Disability and Communication Access Board, to examine and update existing equipment, services, and policies, to ensure continued accessibility and usability for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or have a speech disability.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Amending its title to read, "SENATE RESOLUTION URGING VARIOUS STATE ENTITIES TO REVIEW AND UPDATE THEIR TELECOMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, SERVICES, AND POLICIES AND IDENTIFY AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT IN ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING OR HAVE A SPEECH DISABILITY"; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services, Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services, Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, and Government Operations,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair	________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair
	________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair