STAND. COM. REP. NO. 574

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1413

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1413, 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 promote the accurate, appropriate, and authentic use of the Hawaiian language.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires specified state officials to prominently display a Hawaiian language translation of the name of their respective office or department on official websites and letterheads;

(2) Requires all letterheads, documents, symbols, and emblems of the State and other political subdivisions that include Hawaiian names or words to include accurate and appropriate Hawaiian names, spelling, and punctuation;

(3) Establishes references for accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian names and words, including proper Hawaiian spelling and punctuation; and

(4) Clarifies that the full text of bills and other official documents are not required to be written in Hawaiian and that misspelled or incorrectly punctuated Hawaiian names and words shall not invalidate the documents, or render them unenforceable, and no cause of action shall arise accordingly.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Halau Ku Mana Public Charter School, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that requiring the inclusion of accurate and appropriate Hawaiian names, spelling, and punctuation in various forms of state communications will help to effectuate the State's constitutional mandate to promote Hawaiian culture, history, and language.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

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. 1413, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1413, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair