STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1795-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2883

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2883, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to convene a task force to facilitate improved hiring and training of culturally-accepted interpreters to assist non-English speaking populations seeking care at health care facilities; and

(2) Appropriate funds to support the work of the task force.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Pono Hawai‘i Initiative, Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Hawai‘i Friends of Civil Rights, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, COFA Alliance National Network, Waipahu Safe Haven Center, and seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Office of Language Access, and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Corporate Board of Directors.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2883, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair