STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3483

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2491

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2491, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require all letterheads of the State and counties to include consistent Hawaiian names, spelling, and punctuation;

(2) Require certain state officials to prominently display a Hawaiian language translation of the name of their respective office or department at least once on the main page of their official website and in the letterhead of their stationery; and

(3) Require the University of Hawaii to compile a full list of all dialects and other variations in the Hawaiian language currently in use and submit a report of its findings to the Legislature.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, State of Hawaii Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Kaulana ‘aina a Mahiku A‘o Mai, Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies, University of Hawai‘i System, and seven individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that the Hawaiian language is Hawaii's indigenous language as well as the original language of Hawaii's executive, judicial, and legislative branches. Despite political, economic, and social pressures and changes, the Hawaiian language community has been maintained. In order to further revitalize the language and improve the learning experience of those new to the language, this measure will standardize the spelling and punctuation of Hawaiian names and words in certain documents prepared by state or county agencies or officials for the primary purposes of consistency and uniformity.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting findings to clarify that it is intended to provide equal support and standing for both native speakers and second language speakers of Hawaiian languages;

(2) Amending the list of sources with which the Hawaiian names and words used in the letterhead are to be in conformance;

(3) Clarifying that if there is a conflict between words used by native speakers and second language speakers in a document covered by this measure, two versions of the document may be made available to the public upon request if the affected department has sufficient resources to do so;

(4) Deleting language that would have required certain government officials and departments to display a Hawaiian translation of the name of their respective office or department on the main page of their official website;

(5) Deleting language that would have required the University of Hawaii to compile a full list of all dialects and other variations in the Hawaiian language currently in use; and

(6) 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 that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2491, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2491, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair