STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2141

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2214

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2214 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DIGITAL LITERACY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a digital literacy program to be overseen by the Board of Education and implemented by the State Librarian to promote digital literacy through programmatic activities that provide children and parents exposure to digital tools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Librarian, Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that libraries are critical providers of digital literacy services to the public. Your Committee further finds that recent experiences with remote learning has highlighted the crucial role of digital literacy in classrooms and beyond. Accordingly, this measure promotes digital literacy through the establishment of a digital literacy program within the Hawaii State Public Library System.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the State Librarian requesting that this measure be amended to clarify that the program established by this measure be available to all community members. Your Committee further notes the testimony of the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii requesting that this measure provide for the provision of services related to access technologies for individuals with disabilities. Your Committee recognizes, too, that funding is necessary for the effective administration of the program created by this measure.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the program created under this measure shall be available to all members of the public;

(2) Expanding the program created under this measure to provide services aimed to improve the knowledge, skill, and use of access technology for individuals with disabilities;

(3) Inserting a blank appropriation to fund the program created by this measure and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to administer the program;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2022; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2214, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2214, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair